Question

What is the structure of an optically inactive triacylglycerol that yields two moles of oleic acid and one mole of palmitic acid when hydrolyzed in aqueous acid?

Short answer

Answer

Optically inactive triacylglycerol

Step-by-step solution

Optically active compound

An organic compound with atleast one carbon atom attached to four different atoms or groups, and can rotate the plane-polarized light towards the right or left, is said to be optically active. If not, then it is optically inactive.

Oleic acid

The compound oleic acid is present in oils. The human body can also make it. The molecular formula of oleic acid is ${\mathrm{C}}_{18}{\mathrm{H}}_{34}{\mathrm{O}}_2$. The structure of oleic acid is:

Optically inactive triacylglycerol with oleic and palmitic acids

The structure of triacylglycerol that yields two moles of oleic acid and one mole of palmitic acid on hydrolysis in mild acid is as shown below:

Triacylglycerol

This molecule is optically inactive as it has two same groups attached to the below-shown carbon:

Optically inactive triacylglycerol