Triglyceride, Triglycerol, Triester

[MedPR]

What is the difference between a triglyceride and a triglycerol?

EK says "triesters" are triglycerides, which makes sense I guess.

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[cfive22]

What is the difference between a triglyceride and a triglycerol?

EK says "triesters" are triglycerides, which makes sense I guess.

Interesting question MedPR. I think that they're the same. Of course this is based on a quick google search that said that they were the same thing but I may be wrong...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triglyceride

 

[MedPR]

Yea, I thought they were the same thing too. I've always used "triglyceride" and "triglycerol" interchangeably. Must be wrong though, I don't think EK would make a point to test the difference if there was no difference.

 

[Danlee07]

I'm somewhat confused because I see triglycerides referred to as triacylglycerols in my classes...I've yet to come across just "triglycerols." Triglycerides are definitely triesters though. It's just a FA with an ester bond to 1 glycerol. So the tails of the FA have a methyl group.

 

[MedPR]

I'm somewhat confused because I see triglycerides referred to as triacylglycerols in my classes...I've yet to come across just "triglycerols." Triglycerides are definitely triesters though. It's just a FA with an ester bond to 1 glycerol. So the tails of the FA have a methyl group.

Ah, that must be it. EK was tricking you into thinking the answer choice was "triacylglycerol" when the answer choice really is "triglycerol," which is probably non existant.. 3 glycerols bonded to each other I guess?

This EK orgo 1001 #781. It shows a picture of a triglyceride (Tristearin) and asks:

Tristearin is a👎:

A. tricarboxylic acid
B. triglycerol
C. triamide
D. triester

Had it said triacylglycerol, then there would've been some confusion because that is the same thing as a triester.