Vegetable oil adducts

Abstract

Disclosed herein are compounds of the general formula ##STR1## wherein x and y are integers from 3 to 9, x and y together equal 12, one Z is hydrogen and the other Z is a carboxylic acid group, and R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are fatty acid groups. A process for introducing approximately one carboxylic acid group per triglyceride molecule in vegetable oils has been developed, and the resulting acid adduct forms soaps with attractive properties. The process comprises first conjugation of the double bonds of the nonconjugated polyunsaturated groups present in the fatty acid ester and elaidinization with a catalyst, such as iodine, and then adduct formation with acrylic acid to form the compounds of the general formula. This process also greatly stabilizes the triglyceride against atmospheric oxidation and polymerization reactions.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.