Formation of Furan Fatty Alkyl Esters from their Bis‐Epoxide Fatty Esters

Reactions of epoxidized alkyl soyate with four different alcohols: ethanol, isopropyl alcohol, 2‐ethylhexanol, benzyl alcohol, in the presence of Brønsted acid catalyst, were investigated. Products, not reported in prior studies of similar reactions, were found. These were furan fatty acid alkyl esters (FFE, mixture of alkyl 8‐(5‐hexyl‐2‐furyl) octanoate and alkyl 9‐(5‐pentyl‐2‐furyl)nonanoate) which were unambiguously identified by means of GC–MS and two‐dimensional NMR. Evidence suggests that the FFE are formed by an acid‐catalyzed rearrangement of the epoxidized linoleates. The FFE were formed in presence of all four alcohols tested and in the presence of either sulfuric acid or Amberlyst 15 catalyst. Yields of up to 13 %, as quantified by GC and NMR spectroscopies, were observed.