Woolgrease
AssigneeCroda International PLC
InventorsRichard Neil Cawthorne, Robert William Humble, David Andrew Parker
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Abstract
A process for recovering 18-methyl eicosanoic acid (18-MEA) and/or alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) from woolwax acids or derivatives thereof comprises the steps of heating the woolwax acids or derivatives thereof to 100 to 230° C. to form estolides and polymeric species; distilling to obtain a distillate (D1) and a residue (R1); and recovering 18-MEA from the distillate and/or recovering AHAs from the residue.
Claims42
A process for preparing an acid selected from 18-methyl eicosanoic acid (18-MEA) and an alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA), and mixtures thereof, comprising:
- (a) distilling a species selected from estolides and polymers obtainable by heating to 100° to 230° C. woolwax acids or a derivative thereof to produce a product selected from a distillate (D1) and a residue (R1);
- and
- (b) saponifying and then hydrolysing the species-rich residue (R1) to recover AHAs.
A process for preparing an acid selected from 18-methyl eicosanoic acid (18-MEA) and an alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA), and mixtures thereof, comprising:
- (a) heating to 100° to 230° C. woolwax acids or a derivative thereof to form a species selected from estolides and polymers thereof under process conditions;
- (b) distilling the species resulting from step (a);
- (c) saponifiying and hydrolysing the species-rich residue (R1) resulting from step (b) to recover AHAs, and,
- (d) optionally, further processing the distillate (D1) resulting from step (b) and/or the saponified and hydrolysed residue (R1).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.