Chromatographic separation ofcis andtrans fatty esters by argentation with a macroreticular exchange resin

Methyl oleate and methyl elaidate, as well as other monoenecis andtrans isomers of fatty esters, can be separated quickly and conveniently by a preparative chromatographic procedure in which a silver-saturated ion-exchange resin is used. Separations are based on differences in stabilites of the silver-olefin complexes. Recoveries of better than 95% were made, and puretrans andcis monoene fractions were collected. This method can be used to separate saturates fromcis andtrans monoenes. Thecis,trans,cis,cis, andtrans,trans-9-12-octadecadienoates were separated. Whilecis,trans andtrans,trans dienes were cluted separately, thecis,cis diene isomer remained on the column. Presented at AOCS Meeting, in Minneapolis, 1963. A laboratory of the No. Utiliz. Res. and Dev. Div., ARS, USDA.