Preparation of highly purified fatty acids via liquid-liquid partition chromatography

The application of reversed-phase, liquid-liquid partition chromatography to the preparation of highly purified methyl esters of fatty acids is described. The parameters of fractionation of methyl esters by this method are demonstrated with model mixtures of these compounds. Model mixtures are also used to demonstrate the use of adsorption chromatography on columns of silicic acid, impregnated with silver nitrate, in conjunction with liquid-liquid partition chromatography to eliminate fractional distillation in the preparation of polyunsaturated methyl esters. The formation of artefacts of 4, 5 and 6 double bond methyl esters during fractional distillation and their fractionation is described. The use of liquid-liquid partition chromatography for preparative purposes on a large laboratory scale is demonstrated by the preparation of pure methyl linolenate from linseed oil esters. Methyl arachidonate, eicosapentaenoate, docosapentaenoate and docosahexaenoate are also prepared in high purity. Supported in part by the U. S. Public Health Service, NIH grant A-5018, and in part by a contract with the U. S. Dept. of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Commercial Fisheries. Presented at the AOCS Meeting in Toronto, Canada, 1962.