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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #123051
Title: SYNTHESIS OF COMPLEX OLEIC CUPHEA ESTOLIDES

Author
item BRANDON, KENDRA
item Cermak, Steven - Steve
item Isbell, Terry

Submitted to: American Chemical Society Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/10/2001
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Cuphea is a new crop that is currently being cultivated in Central Illinois. NCAUR is working on the scale up of this crop. The development of a new crop often depends on the synthesis of novel compounds. Estolides (1) are one such derivative of new crop oils which show promise in industrial applications. Estolides are formed when the carboxylic acid functionality of one fatty acid links to the site of unsaturation of another fatty acid to form esters. Estolides were derived from cuphea and oleic fatty acids in the presence of varying equivalents of acid with little or no solvent with varying temperatures. The estolides were converted to their corresponding hydroxy fatty acid and the degree of polymerization was determined by GC analysis. The free acid estolides were then converted to the esters under standard conditions. Physical properties (pour points, cloud points and viscosities) of the complex estolide acids and esters were compared to the homo- and coco-estolides, which have current industrial applications.