esters

• Saponification


  (alkaline hydrolysis of fats)

  ester group of fat + KOH becomes alcohol

  glycerol tristearate --> potassium stearate
• transesterfication


  heat 120

  NaOH catalyst

  triglyceride + 3alcohol --> glycerol + 3alkylesters
• hardening of fats


  finely divided nickel catalyst

  150 degrees

  1 H2 molecule for each C=C

  unsaturated to saturated