Method of preparing the methyl ester of alpha -eleostearic acid

摘要

A method of preparing the methyl ester of alpha -eleostearic acid comprises the following steps: providing a reaction mixture comprising tung oil, methanol, water and a saponification agent; maintaining the temperature of said reaction mixture at a temperature of not more than about 60 DEG C. for a time sufficient to effect saponification of said tung oil; acidifying the saponification reaction mixture while cooling to prevent excess temperature rise to form an aqueous phase and a non-aqueous phase comprising alpha -eleostearic acid; separating said aqueous and non aqueous phases; admixing said separated non-aqueous phase and methanol to form an esterification reactor mixture; heating said esterification reaction mixture in the presence of an acidic esterification catalyst to form an aqueous phase and a non-aqueous phase comprising the methyl ester of alpha -eleostearic acid; and separating said aqueous and non aqueous phases of said esterification reaction mixture to provide a non-aqueous product phase comprising the methyl ester of alpha -eleostearic acid.