Question

would lycopene and B-carotene dissolve in hexane, a nonpolar solvent or water, a polar solvent? explain your answer.

Answer 1

Structures of both Lycopene and beta carotene we can see here.

Both the molecules have just a hydrocarbon content i.e. and no polar grouping like –OH, -NH2, -COOH etc. present in the molecule. Both the whole molecules as a whole are almost non-polar or hydrophobic.

According to the well-known principle “Like dissolves like “, non-polar molecules dissolves in non-polar solvent.

Water is highly polar solvent with very high dielectric constant and hence both Lycopene and beta carotene will be Insoluble in water.

But cyclohexene with just hydrocarbon as content is highly non-polar solvent and hence both lycopene and beta carotene will dissolve in cyclohexane solvent.