Synthesis of industrially important platform chemicals via olefin metathesis of palash fatty acid methyl esters

Abstract

The study signifies the importance of olefin metathesis in developing industrially important platform chemicals from a non-edible renewable resource, palash oil using Grubb’s second generation catalyst. The reaction conditions were optimized by varying the concentration of the catalyst, 0.03-0.05 mM and the temperature, 45-100 °C of the reaction. Maximum yield of the metathesized products, as analysed using GC/GC-MS were obtained employing lower concentration of the catalyst, 0.03 Mm and temperature, 45 °C for 36 h. The metathesized products showed the formation of hydrocarbons namely 9-octadecene (10.9%) and cyclodecacyclotetradecene (27%) as major. The formation of cyclodecacyclotetradecene was observed for the first time. The study also describes the possible routes and the molecules involved in the formation of the metathesized products.