Chemistry of Lipids

Lipids
• Group of naturally occurring substances.

• Insoluble in water

• Soluble in: Ether, chloroform, benzene,

acetone (organic solvents)

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 Lipids
• LIPIDS: Fatty acids, Triglycerides, Ketone
bodies, Cholesterol, Phospholipids
Sphingolipids

• Fats (solid) & Oil (liquid) at room

temperature

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 Occurrence of Lipids
• Widely distributed in plants and animals.

• Plants: nuts, seeds and oils

• The Nervous system of Animals: cholesterol,

phospholipids and glycolipids

• Blood: contains lipoproteins

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 Occurrence of Lipids
• Fat depots (large amount of fats):
– Subcutaneous tissues
– Mesenteric tissues
– Fatty tissues around the kidney
– Yellow bone marrow

• Food sources:
– Milk, Egg, Meat, Liver
– Fish oils, nuts, seeds and oils
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 Lipoprotein &
Acts as fuel in Insulating effect
Phospholipids (cell
wall & mitochondrion the body
constituents)

Padding &
protection of
internal organs
Vitamin
A,D,E,K fat
soluble Building
vitamins Materials
(hormones)

Supply essential
Nervous
fatty acids
system: Rich in
lipids
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Classification of Lipids

LIPIDS

Simple Lipids

Compound Lipids
Derived Lipids

Substances Associated with Lipids

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 Classification of Lipids

Classification Definition Examples

Esters of fatty acids * Neutral fats (F.A. + alcohol)

Simple Lipids with various alcohols * Glycerol (alcohol in fats)

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 Classification of Lipids
Classification Description 4 Sub-Divisions

Contains other chemical •Phospholipids

Compound groups in addition to alcohol •Glycolipids
Lipids and fatty acids •Sulpholipids
•Lipoprotein

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 Classification of Lipids
Classification Description
Derived Lipids Substances derived from simple &
compound by hydrolysis.
Examples

•Fatty acids
Derived Lipids •Alcohols other than glycerol
•Glycerides
•Bases (choline, serine)

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 Classification of Lipids

Classification Examples
•Carotenoids
Substances Associated •Tocopherols
with Lipids •Vitamins A, D, E and K
•Steroids (Cholesterol)

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 Chemical Composition of Fats
ANIMALS AND VEGETABLE FATS

Complex Triglycerides
mixtures of (TAG)-
glycerides Neutral fats

Esters of glycerol & fatty acids 3 molecules of fatty acids - glycerol

Triglycerides One molecule of glycerol + 3 molecules

of fatty acids (condensation)

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Chemical composition of lipids
 Physical Properties of Fats
• Greasy to touch and leaves an oily impression on
paper.
• Are insoluble in water but soluble in organic
solvents.
• Have less specific gravity than water (solid fat=
0.86), (liquid fat = 0.95)
• Pure glycerides are tasteless, odourless, colourless
and neutral in reaction (acidic-yellow colour
(hydrolysis & oxidation)

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• Flavour of butter is due to the presence of
bacterial flora; colour of butter, human fat
and egg yolk (due to presence of carotene &
xanthophil).
• Hardness and consistency depends on the
amount of saturated and unsaturated fatty
acids present. Saturated fatty acids are solid
(room temperature) while Unsaturated fatty
acids are liquid (room temperature) (e.g. oils)
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• Fats have definite melting points.
• Though fat is insoluble in water- can be
broken down into minute droplets and
dispersed in water (emulsification)

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 Chemical Properties of Fats
• Acrolein Formation – glycerol → heat + potassium
bisulphate
• Hydrogenation – unsaturated fats (+nickel-catalyst)
– saturated fats (“hardening”) e.g vegetable oil –
commercial cooking oil
• Saponification – hydrolysis of fat by alkali (glycerol +
alkali salts = soap)
• Rancidity – chemical change resulting in unpleasant
odour and taste on storage when fats are exposed
to light, heat, air and moisture.
– E.g. Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) and Vitamin E are
antioxidants (prevents rancidity)
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 Essential Fatty Acids (Polyunsaturated
Fatty Acids)
Lipids Examples Sources
•Linoleic acid •Linseed
•Cotton seeds
Polyunsaturated •Peanuts
Fatty Acids
•Linolenic acid •Corn oils

•Arachidonic acid

(not synthesized by the body-

must be taken in the diet)

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 Triglycerides
• Neutral fat
• Concentrated source of energy
• used primarily for energy; most common lipid in the
body
• contain C, H, and O but less O than carbohydrates
(C57H110O6)
• building blocks are 1 glycerol and 3 fatty acids per
molecule saturated and unsaturated

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 Steroids
• Are non-saponifiable lipids.
• Are biological compounds with diverse
physiological activities.
• Are compounds having a
cyclopentanoperhydrophenanthrene ring
system
• Has only a hydroxyl group (-OH) as its
functional group (sterol, e.g. cholesterol)

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 Phospholipids
• Lipids containing phosphorus

• Found in cell membranes and in subcellular

structures (lipid & water interaction)

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 Cholesterol
• Are light yellow crystalline solid
• Are soluble in chloroform and other fat solvents
• Polyunsaturated acids – lower the plasma cholesterol
level
• The most abundant lipid in the human body

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 Lipoproteins
• Are conjugated proteins involved in transport
and delivery of lipids to tissues.
E.g. Lipids (Cholesterol & triglycerides) + water
soluble carrier proteins
• It transport neutral lipids in the blood.
• It has lower density than the ordinary protein
molecule.

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