The Chemistry of Aubergines: Structure and Properties

This lecture discusses the chemistry of aubergines, focusing on their organic compounds and structural characteristics. It begins with the importance of organic chemistry in everyday compounds, highlighting the role of anthocyanin pigments in giving aubergines their purple color. The main anthocyanin, nasunin, is introduced, explaining its stability as a mix of cis and trans isomers. The lecture then explores the texture of aubergines, which is attributed to tiny air pockets that cause them to shrink when cooked and absorb oil. The discussion continues with the bitter flavor and browning of aubergines, linked to phenolic compounds and the action of polyphenol oxidase. The lecture also covers the conformational aspects of cyclohexane, detailing different conformers and their energy states, including chair and boat forms. The instructor explains the significance of these conformations in understanding the stability of substituted cyclohexanes, particularly in the context of steric interactions and energy changes during conformational interconversion.