Fischer-Speier Esterification

Fischer Esterification is a reaction between a carboxylic acid and an alcohol to form an ester. Refluxing the two reactants with an acid catalyst forms the ester. Fischer Esterification was discovered in 1895 by the German chemist, Emily Fischer and Arthur Speier. The reaction is also sometimes known as Fischer-Speier Esterification. The major components of almost all natural flavors and odors are esters. These fragrant esters are formed by the Fischer Esterification reaction. Saponification is the process that produces soap from triglycerides. Triglycerides are chains of three fatty acids with nonpolar side chains that are bound to a carboxylic acid, which is bound to glycerol through ester linkages. They are very insoluble in
They are ingested as part of the animal’s diet or they are synthesized in the liver. Then they are transported throughout the body through the blood. Where the triglyceride originated determines how it is transported however. When the triglyceride reaches its destination in the body, it is either used immediately or it is store in adipose tissue (fat). Triglycerides are a major part of stored potential energy in the human body because they store about twice the amount of energy than polysaccharides. Triglycerides are also major components in metabolism and insulation in the human body. When there is an increase in glucagon and a decrease in insulin levels in the blood, it triggers the release of the triglycerides from the adipose tissue. The triglycerides do not exit the tissue intact; they are hydrolyzed by an enzyme into a glycerol molecule and three fatty acids. These components are then transported by the blood to tissues for further metabolic processes so they can be used as energy for the
The carboxyl group is hydrophilic, which “likes” water, and the acyl side-chain is hydrophobic, which doesn’t “like” water. This makes the molecule amphiphilic. Amphiphilic molecules can from emulsions because part of molecule likes the water and the other part doesn’t. Fatty acids also reduce the surface tension of water, which makes it useful for cleaning agents. Because of these properties of fatty acids, we convert triglycerides to soaps by hydrolyzing the ester. This makes carboxylate salts. Because soap contains hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions, it forms a micelle when added to water. Water causes the non-polar tails to clump into the center, forming a ball, the micelle. The polar part of the molecule is on the outside of the ball to interact with the water. This allows the soap to interact with other molecules, like dirt, and water too. The inside of the micelle pulls in the dirt into the water due to the water loving outside of the