| Abstract: | The Diels-Alder reaction between alkali conjugated and elaidinised safflower oil fatty acid methyl esters and acrolein, crotonaldehyde and cinnamaldehyde was studied under various experimental conditions. A combination of column chromatography and gas liquid chromatography techniques was employed for the estimation of the methyl ester of the unreacted fatty acids, Diels-Alder adducts and polymeric and other materials in the reaction products. The maximum yields of the Diels-Alder adducts with acrolein, crotonaldehyde and cinnamaldehyde were 40.2, 44.4 and 52.2 per cent respectively when the reaction is carried out at 240°C for 6–8 hours using 2 moles of dienophile. The methyl esters of the adducts were isolated in about 90 per cent purity from the reaction products by distillation under reduced pressure followed by solvent fractionation. |
