Chemistry Reference
In-Depth Information
O
O
O
+
O
OH
O
50 °C
Acid catalyst
80-120 °C
No catalyst
O
HO
O
O
O
O
O
O
O
OH
O
O
Scheme 2.5 The synthesis of an acetal (left) or branched-chain ester (right) from
epoxidized methyl oleate and levulinic acid.
situation where the formation of products is conditional was reached
(Scheme 2.5). In other words, different products from the same reactants can
be formed in the system. Up to 87% selectivity for branched esters, and 64%
selectivity for acetals is possible.
2.6 Conclusions
The friendly reader has just learned about a few of the things that can be
done with vegetable oils. The reactive points are at the glycerol backbone,
which can be changed with esterification, and at the double bonds. This
work focused on the epoxidation of the double bonds, which produces
useful material in its own right or gives further possibilities. Just a few of
those possibilities are mentioned here which, with luck, can be part of the
new world of Green Materials from Plant Oils.
Acknowledgements
This work was primarily funded through the Agricultural Research Service,
the in-house research arm of the United States Department of Agriculture.
For work on these projects, acknowledgement goes to Dr Brajendra
K. Sharma, Donna I. Thomas, Jennifer R. Koch, Dr Karl E. Vermillion, Erin
L. Walter, and Daniel A. Knetezer.
