The Transition Metals - Hydrogenation of Vegetable Oils.
What is the Hydrogenation of Vegetable Oils?
The
transition metal
nickel is used in the
hydrogenation of
vegetable oils to make
margarines and
soft-spreads.
Hydrogenation means
adding
hydrogen to a substance.
Liquid vegetable
oils that are unsaturated will react with hydrogen
at about 60 °C in the presence of a nickel
catalyst.
This is an example of an addition reaction where hydrogen
adds across the double
bond leaving only single
bonds.
The picture below shows hydrogenation
of a double
bond.
Hydrogenation
raises the melting point above
room temperature
and makes the liquid oil become
solid
in a process called hardening.
The solid product is
used as a margarine or spread.
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