One of the triacylglycerols in olive oil is glyceryl tripalmitoleate (tripalmitolein).
a. Draw the condensed structural formula for glyceryl tripalmitoleate (tripalmitolein).

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the structure of glyceryl tripalmitoleate (tripalmitolein). It is a triacylglycerol, meaning it consists of a glycerol backbone esterified with three fatty acid chains. In this case, the fatty acid is palmitoleic acid, which is a monounsaturated fatty acid with 16 carbon atoms and one double bond at the 9th carbon (counting from the carboxyl end).
2. Start by drawing the glycerol backbone. Glycerol is a three-carbon molecule with hydroxyl groups (-OH) attached to each carbon. Represent it as CH2-OH, CH-OH, and CH2-OH.
3. Replace each hydroxyl group on the glycerol backbone with an ester group (-O-C=O) to form the triacylglycerol. This is done by reacting the hydroxyl groups with the carboxylic acid groups of the fatty acids.
4. Attach the palmitoleic acid chains to the glycerol backbone via the ester linkages. The condensed structural formula for palmitoleic acid is CH3-(CH2)5-CH=CH-(CH2)7-COOH. When attached to glycerol, the -COOH group becomes -COO- as part of the ester bond.
5. Combine all components into the final condensed structural formula for glyceryl tripalmitoleate. The structure will show the glycerol backbone with three palmitoleic acid chains attached via ester linkages. Ensure the double bond in each fatty acid chain is clearly indicated in the formula.

Key Concepts

Triacylglycerols

Triacylglycerols, also known as triglycerides, are esters formed from glycerol and three fatty acids. They serve as a major form of energy storage in organisms and are found in fats and oils. Understanding their structure is crucial for analyzing their properties and functions in biological systems.

Condensed Structural Formula

A condensed structural formula is a way of representing a chemical compound that shows the arrangement of atoms and the connectivity between them without depicting all the bonds explicitly. This format simplifies the visualization of complex molecules, making it easier to understand their structure and composition.

Fatty Acids

Fatty acids are long hydrocarbon chains with a carboxylic acid group at one end. They can be saturated or unsaturated, depending on the presence of double bonds. The type of fatty acids in a triacylglycerol influences its physical properties, such as melting point and stability, which is essential for understanding the characteristics of olive oil.