The process of hydrogenation involves an addition reaction. Hydrogenation is adding hydrogen to an unsaturated hydrocarbon to obtain a saturated hydrocarbon. The addition reaction is one of carbon’s chemical properties. Only unsaturated hydrocarbons (alkenes and alkynes) give the addition reactions.  

What is Hydrogenation of Oils?

An addition reaction occurs when an unsaturated hydrocarbon reacts with another substance to produce a single product. All unsaturated hydrocarbons with a double or triple bond give rise to addition reactions. This indicates that all alkenes and alkynes provide additional reactions. Now we’ll look at an addition reaction involving hydrogen to unsaturated hydrocarbons with carbon-carbon double bonds. When ethene is heated in the presence of a nickel catalyst, it combines with hydrogen to produce ethane.

CH₂=CH₂         +       H₂             →           CH₃-CH₃
(Ethene)                  (Hydrogen)                   (Ethane)

In this reaction, one hydrogen atom (H) is added to each carbon atom (C) in ethene, enabling the double bond to break and ethane to become a single bond. In general, unsaturated hydrocarbons add hydrogen to produce saturated hydrocarbons in the presence of catalysts such as nickel (Ni). Hydrogenation is the process of adding hydrogen to an unsaturated hydrocarbon to produce a saturated hydrocarbon.

The hydrogenation process is widely used in industry, and it is used to make vegetable ghee or vanaspati ghee from vegetable oils.

Groundnut oil, cotton oil, and mustard oil are examples of unsaturated molecules with double bonds. At room temperature, they are in a liquid condition. Vegetable oils, like alkenes, undergo hydrogen addition to generate a saturated product called vegetable ghee or vanaspati ghee, which is solid or semi-solid at room temperature due to the presence of double bonds. The addition of hydrogen to vegetable oil, known as hydrogenation, results in vegetable ghee, also known as vanaspati ghee.

Example of Hydrogenation of Oils

Unsaturated fats with double bonds between some of their carbon atoms are called vegetable oils. A saturated fat called vegetable ghee or vanaspati ghee is generated when a vegetable oil, such as groundnut oil, is heated with hydrogen in the presence of finely divided nickel as a catalyst. This process is known as the hydrogenation of oil and can be represented as follows.

Hydrogenation of Oils.

Unsaturated fatty acids found in vegetable oils are beneficial to human health. As a result, cooking should be done with oil. Sunflower oil, soyabean oil, and groundnut oil are some of the most used cooking oils. Sundrop, Saffola, Fortune, and Dalda refined oil are some of the brand names available in the market. Saturated fats, such as vegetable ghee, which are made by hydrogenation of oils, are bad for your health. They are sold under the brand name Dalda among others, in the market. Saturated fats from animals, such as butter and desi ghee, contain saturated fatty acids, which are said to be harmful to one’s health if consumed in large amounts.

Uses of Hydrogenated Oils

As a preservative, hydrogenated oil is used by food manufacturers. It’s also used to improve flavor and texture. Food manufacturers use hydrogenated oils in their products for a variety of reasons, which are listed below.

• Food Industry: Hydrogenated oils have long been used in the food industry due to their ability to extend shelf life and product stability. Margarine, shortening, baked goods, and processed foods such as crackers, cookies, and snack items were all common sources. However, due to health concerns, many food manufacturers have moved away from hydrogenated oils and toward healthier alternatives.
• Cosmetic and Personal Care Products: The emollient properties of hydrogenated oils make them useful in cosmetics and personal care products. They are present in a variety of skincare products, including lotions, creams, and lip balms, where they help to moisturize and soften the skin.
• Pharmaceutical formulations: Pharma industries may use hydrogenated oils as excipients or carriers for active ingredients in a variety of medications. They can act as a vehicle for delivering drugs in a stable and controlled manner.
• Industrial applications: Hydrogenated oils have applications in industrial processes such as lubricants and coatings. They provide benefits such as heat stability and oxidation resistance, making them appropriate for use in machinery and manufacturing.
• Biofuel Production: Certain hydrogenated oils, particularly those derived from renewable sources such as plant oils, can be used as feedstock for biofuel production. They can be further processed to produce biodiesel, an alternative to traditional petroleum-based fuels.

Also, Check

• What is Hydrogenation?
• Saturated and Unsaturated Hydrocarbons
• Chemical Properties of Carbon Compounds 

Frequently Asked Questions

Which catalyst is used in the hydrogenation of oil?

 Nickel catalyst is used in the commercial hydrogenation of edible oils.

In the hydrogenation of oils, what gas is used?

In the presence of nickel as a catalyst, hydrogen gas is used to hydrogenate oils.

In the hydrogenation of oil, why is nickel used as a catalyst?

Since the atomic structure of nickel is such that it attracts the atoms of hydrogen and unsaturated compounds to its surface where they come in contact with each other and react to form the saturated compound.

Name some foods that contain hydrogenated oil.

Some foods that contain higher levels of hydrogenated oils are canned frostings, baked goods, snack foods, etc.

How do you know if an oil is fully hydrogenated?

The chemical process of hydrogenation transforms liquid vegetable oil into solid fat. Oils that have been partially hydrogenated are semi-soft, and fully hydrogenated oils are firmer.

Among the hydrocarbons CH₄, and catalystC₂H₂, which one undergoes the addition reaction?

Only the unsaturated hydrocarbons, i.e., alkenes and alkynes undergo the addition reaction. Out of the given hydrocarbons, CH₄ is an alkane and C₂H₂ is an alkyne. So, C₂H₂ undergoes the addition reaction.