Lipophilicity



Lipophilicity, fat-liking, refers to the ability of a toluene.[1] These non-polar solvents are themselves lipophilic — the axiom that like dissolves like generally holds true. Thus lipophilic substances tend to dissolve in other lipophilic substances, while hydrophilic (water-loving) substances tend to dissolve in water and other hydrophilic substances.

Lipophilicity, hydrophobicity and non-polarity (the latter as used to describe intermolecular interactions and not the separation of charge in dipoles) all essentially describe the same molecular attribute; the terms are often used interchangeably.[citation needed]

Chemical bonding

Lipophilic substances interact within themselves and with other substances through partition coefficients.

Surfactants

Micelles draw oily substances into their hydrophobic cores, explaining the basic action of soaps and detergents used for personal cleanliness and for laundering clothes. Micelles are also biologically important for the transport of fatty substances in the small intestine surface in the first step that leads to the absorption of the components of fats (largely fatty acids and 2-monoglycerides).

Cell membranes are bilayer structures principally formed from phosphate head groups attached to two long alkyl tails.

See also

  • Lipophobicity

References

  1. ^ Compendium of Chemical Terminology, lipophilic, accessed 15 Jan 2007.


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