Continuous production of cyclic fatty acids

Kinetic studies of a batch treatment of linseed oil to produce cyclic acids indicated that of a continuous process conducted in a flow-through reactor and involving rapid heat-up of reactants, followed by a short reaction time, might be feasible. Tests were conducted in a continuous system to examine the effects of flow rate (retention time), reaction temp, reaction system pressure and reagents on product yields. The reactant solution (linseed oil-ethylene glycol-sodium hydroxide) was pumped through an externally heated tube and discharged through a back-pressure valve. Maximum cyclic acid yields based on wt of oil were 37% by the continuous method and 40.4% by the batch process when the feed was saturated with nitrogen, and 39.5% and 46.1% for the respective methods when the feed was saturated with ethylene. These differences may be offset by the advantages inherent in a continuous process. Presented in part at the AOCS Meeting, New Orleans, 1962. A laboratory of the No. Utiliz. Res. & Dev. Div., ARS, USDA.