A method of oxidative molecular cleavage of a fatty compound selected from the group formed of unsaturated aliphatic carboxylic acids, esters of an unsaturated aliphatic carboxylic acid, epoxidized aliphatic carboxylic acids, esters of an epoxidized aliphatic carboxylic acid, hydroxylated unsaturated aliphatic carboxylic acids, and esters of a hydroxylated unsaturated aliphatic carboxylic acid, wherein:
- a composition, called a fatty composition, composed of at least one aliphatic carboxylic acid is formed, said fatty composition comprising the fatty compound;
- which method comprises:
- subsequently adding to said fatty composition a solution of at least one quaternary ammonium salt in water capable of forming an emulsion of said fatty compound and water;
- and then
- adding to said emulsion a liquid solution of at least one tungstophosphoric acid in a composition comprising hydrogen peroxide (H2O2),
- so as to form in situ in the emulsion a quantity of a catalyst, called a phase-transfer catalyst, formed of tungstophosphoric acid and at least one quaternary ammonium of the quaternary ammonium salt(s), and to permit the oxidative molecular cleavage of the fatty compound.