I am wondering if I can use the dielectric constants to evaluate the hydrophilicity of compounds?
According to below article the dielectric constants of fatty acids are lower than triglycerides, so does it mean that they are more hydrophobic than triglycerides?
Hu Lizhi, K. Toyoda, I. Ihara. 2008. Dielectric properties of edible oils and fatty acids as a function of frequency, temperature, moisture and composition. Journal of Food Engineering 88 (2008) 151–158
Dear Lehtinen
Fatty acids and triglycerides are hydrophobic but free fatty acids are more polar because of their free COOH end.
Dielectric constants of solvent are used to check their polarity as solvents are "ideal solutions" . Fatty acids solutions are heterogeneous and in this case the dielectric constant become a function of many parameters; which make it not safe to link directly to the polarity as in solvents.
Regards!
NOBOSSE.
Thank you for your answer, Nobosse.
And can you explain me little bit more what makes the fatty acid solution heterogenous? For example, If I have pure fatty acid, let's say, oleic acid , is it still heterogenous solution?
Yes I think it will still make a "heterogenous" (or more precisely a non ideal) solution compared to pure ethanol for example.
Hello. I would like to ask an additional question to the colleague who asked the first question. Do you know if minor lipid compounds such as phytosterols, tochopheroles and squalene are less apolar than triglycerides? Thank you very much for the reply.
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