Final answer:
The reaction commonly used in the conversion of vegetable oils to fats is hydrogenation. This process involves adding hydrogen to unsaturated fatty acids, converting them into saturated fatty acids and increasing the melting point of the triglycerides. Hydrogenation is used to make semisolid products like margarine and shortening.
Step-by-step explanation:
The reaction commonly used in the conversion of vegetable oils to fats is hydrogenation. Hydrogenation is the process of adding hydrogen to unsaturated fatty acids found in vegetable oils, which converts them into saturated fatty acids. This reaction increases the melting point of the triglycerides, making them semisolid or solid.
During hydrogenation, the C=C bonds in the unsaturated fatty acids are broken, and the resulting fatty acids become straight-chain alkanes. This rearrangement of the fatty acids allows them to pack nicely, resulting in higher melting points.
Overall, hydrogenation is a commercial process used to convert vegetable oils into semisolid products like margarine and shortening, which have a longer shelf-life compared to oils.