A saturated compound is a chemical compound (or ion) that resists addition reactions, such as hydrogenation, oxidative addition, and binding of a Lewis base. The term is used in many contexts and classes of chemical compounds. Overall, saturated compounds are less reactive than unsaturated compounds. Saturation is derived from the Latin word saturare, meaning 'to fill'.
Organic chemistry
Generally distinct types of unsaturated organic compounds are recognized. For hydrocarbons:
- alkene (unsaturated) vs alkane (saturated)
- alkyne (unsaturated) vs alkane (saturated)
- arene (unsaturated) vs cycloalkane (saturated)
For organic compounds containing heteroatoms (other than C and H), the list of unsaturated groups is long but some common types are:
- carbonyl, e.g. ketones, aldehydes, esters, carboxylic acids (unsaturated) vs alcohol or ether (saturated)
- nitrile (unsaturated) vs amine (saturated)
- nitro (unsaturated) vs amine (saturated)
| Saturated compounds | ||
|---|---|---|
 Ethane |  Propane |  1-Octanol |
| Unsaturated compounds | ||
|---|---|---|
 Ethylene |  Acetylene |  alpha-Linolenic acid, an unsaturated fatty acid |
Unsaturated compounds generally carry out typical addition reactions that are not possible with saturated compounds such as alkanes. A saturated organic compound has only single bond between carbon atoms. An important class of saturated compounds are the alkanes. Many saturated compounds have functional groups, e.g., alcohols.
Unsaturated organic compounds
The concept of saturation can be described using various naming systems, formulas, and analytical tests. For instance, IUPAC nomenclature is a system of naming conventions used to describe the type and location of unsaturation within organic compounds. The "degree of unsaturation" is a formula used to summarize and diagram the amount of hydrogen that a compound can bind. Unsaturation can be determined by NMR, mass spectrometry, and IR spectroscopy, or by determining a compound's bromine number or iodine number.
Fatty acids and fats
The terms saturated vs unsaturated are often applied to the fatty acid constituents of fats. The triglycerides (fats) that comprise tallow are derived from the saturated stearic and monounsaturated oleic acids. Many vegetable oils contain fatty acids with one (monounsaturated) or more (polyunsaturated) double bonds in them.
Saturated and unsaturated compounds beyond organic chemistry
Organometallic chemistry
In organometallic chemistry, a coordinatively unsaturated complex has fewer than 18 valence electrons and thus is susceptible to oxidative addition or coordination of an additional ligand. Unsaturation is the characteristic of many catalysts. The opposite of coordinatively unsaturated is coordinatively saturated. Complexes that are coordinatively saturated rarely exhibit catalytic properties.
Surfaces
In physical chemistry, when referring to surface processes, saturation denotes the degree at which a binding site is fully occupied. For example, base saturation refers to the fraction of exchangeable cations that are base cations.
References
- Mosby's Medical, Nursing & Allied Health Dictionary, Fourth Edition, Mosby-Year Book Inc., 1994, p. 1394
- Smith, Michael B.; March, Jerry (2007), Advanced Organic Chemistry: Reactions, Mechanisms, and Structure (6th ed.), New York: Wiley-Interscience, ISBN 978-0-471-72091-1
- Alfred Thomas (2002). "Fats and Fatty Oils". Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. Weinheim: Wiley-VCH. doi:10.1002/14356007.a10_173. ISBN 3527306730.
- Hartwig, J. F. Organotransition Metal Chemistry, from Bonding to Catalysis; University Science Books: New York, 2010. ISBN 1-891389-53-X
- "IUPAC definition of Coordinatively Unsaturated Complex". doi:10.1351/goldbook.C01334.
A saturated compound is a chemical compound or ion that resists addition reactions such as hydrogenation oxidative addition and binding of a Lewis base The term is used in many contexts and classes of chemical compounds Overall saturated compounds are less reactive than unsaturated compounds Saturation is derived from the Latin word saturare meaning to fill Organic chemistryGenerally distinct types of unsaturated organic compounds are recognized For hydrocarbons alkene unsaturated vs alkane saturated alkyne unsaturated vs alkane saturated arene unsaturated vs cycloalkane saturated For organic compounds containing heteroatoms other than C and H the list of unsaturated groups is long but some common types are carbonyl e g ketones aldehydes esters carboxylic acids unsaturated vs alcohol or ether saturated nitrile unsaturated vs amine saturated nitro unsaturated vs amine saturated Saturated compoundsEthane Propane 1 OctanolUnsaturated compoundsEthylene Acetylene alpha Linolenic acid an unsaturated fatty acid Unsaturated compounds generally carry out typical addition reactions that are not possible with saturated compounds such as alkanes A saturated organic compound has only single bond between carbon atoms An important class of saturated compounds are the alkanes Many saturated compounds have functional groups e g alcohols Unsaturated organic compounds The concept of saturation can be described using various naming systems formulas and analytical tests For instance IUPAC nomenclature is a system of naming conventions used to describe the type and location of unsaturation within organic compounds The degree of unsaturation is a formula used to summarize and diagram the amount of hydrogen that a compound can bind Unsaturation can be determined by NMR mass spectrometry and IR spectroscopy or by determining a compound s bromine number or iodine number Fatty acids and fats The bottom chain of this fat is unsaturated The terms saturated vs unsaturated are often applied to the fatty acid constituents of fats The triglycerides fats that comprise tallow are derived from the saturated stearic and monounsaturated oleic acids Many vegetable oils contain fatty acids with one monounsaturated or more polyunsaturated double bonds in them Saturated and unsaturated compounds beyond organic chemistryOrganometallic chemistry IrCl CO PPh3 2 is an unsaturated coordination complex In organometallic chemistry a coordinatively unsaturated complex has fewer than 18 valence electrons and thus is susceptible to oxidative addition or coordination of an additional ligand Unsaturation is the characteristic of many catalysts The opposite of coordinatively unsaturated is coordinatively saturated Complexes that are coordinatively saturated rarely exhibit catalytic properties Surfaces In physical chemistry when referring to surface processes saturation denotes the degree at which a binding site is fully occupied For example base saturation refers to the fraction of exchangeable cations that are base cations ReferencesMosby s Medical Nursing amp Allied Health Dictionary Fourth Edition Mosby Year Book Inc 1994 p 1394 Smith Michael B March Jerry 2007 Advanced Organic Chemistry Reactions Mechanisms and Structure 6th ed New York Wiley Interscience ISBN 978 0 471 72091 1 Alfred Thomas 2002 Fats and Fatty Oils Ullmann s Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry Weinheim Wiley VCH doi 10 1002 14356007 a10 173 ISBN 3527306730 Hartwig J F Organotransition Metal Chemistry from Bonding to Catalysis University Science Books New York 2010 ISBN 1 891389 53 X IUPAC definition of Coordinatively Unsaturated Complex doi 10 1351 goldbook C01334
