Dimerization of oleic acid with a montmorillonite catalyst. II. GLC [gas-liquid chromatography] analysis of the monomer; the structure of the dimer; a reaction model

Gas-liq. chromatog. was used to analyze the monomer fraction obtained after mol. distn. of the reaction products of oleic acid (I) dimerization with montmorillonite catalyst. The monomer mixt. contained exclusively satd. fatty acids both of straight and branched structure, small amts. of unbranched unsatd. fatty acids, and no cyclic products. The intermediate formation of dienoic acids implied that the dimers and trimers of I are cyclic. A reaction model describing the isomerizations and hydrogen transfers during the dimerization reaction is discussed. [on SciFinder (R)]