In the first part of this experiment a pure compound named, “trimyristin” was extracted from its natural source nutmeg creating a natural product. Natural products are defined as organic compounds that derive from vital organisms such as plants like nutmeg [1]. Isolating organic compounds from vital organisms are typically difficult to accomplish, however in this experiment trimyristin comes in large quantities especially in nutmeg. Approximately 25-40% can be extracted from the nutmeg [1]. Trimyristin is a triglyceride which is an ester attained from the lipid, glycerol, with three hydroxyl groups attached that contains fatty acid groups that are from myristic acid [2]. In the extraction process the solid ground nutmeg is converted into a
