| Abstract: | Dehydration and splitting of hydrogenated castor oil produces a mixture of fatty acids containing about 80% of the iso-oleic acids having the double bond in 11 and 12 positions in approximately equal proportions (as demonstrated by periodate/permanganate scission) and largely in the trans configuration. This technical iso-oleic acid reacts as expected with maleic anhydride to produce a mixture of isomeric iso-oleyl succinic anhydrides. When the oleate is reacted as the methyl ester the crude product can be distilled to produce methyl iso-oleyl succinic anhydride (M. O. S. A.) free from polymeric material. The yields of product under different conditions of time, temperature and ratio of maleic anhydride to fatty esters have been studied. |
