In the chemical method using alcoholic KOH, what are the products?

• A. Fatty acids and glycerol
• B. Glycerol and water
• C. Triglycerides and alcohol
• D. Fatty acids and glycerol phosphate

Answer: (A)

Saponification of fats with a base yields glycerol and the soap formed from fatty acids. When a triglyceride is treated with potassium hydroxide in alcohol, the ester bonds are hydrolyzed under basic conditions, giving glycerol and potassium salts of the fatty acids (soap). The alcohol helps dissolve the fats and separate the soap as the reaction proceeds. So the practical products are glycerol and fatty acid salts (soap). The option that lists fatty acids and glycerol aligns with these two main products, recognizing that the fatty acids appear here in salt form as soaps; the other choices describe starting materials or non-relevant products.