| Description |
Ricinoleic acid is an unsaturated omega-9 fatty acid and is an important component of the seed oil obtained from mature castor plants seeds. The compound is produced for industries by fractional distillation or saponification of hydrolysed castor oil.
Ricinoleic acid is normally used in manufacturing personal care products such as deodorants. Much of ricinoleic acid characteristics and effects can be associated with castor oil. |
| Chemical Properties |
Colorless to yellow, viscous liquid.Soluble in most organic solvents; insoluble in water. Com- bustible. |
| Uses |
Soaps, Turkey red oil, textile finishing, source of sebacic acid and heptanol, ricinoleate salts, 12- hydroxystearic acid. |
| Definition |
A C1 8 unsaturated fatty acid that comprises 80% of the fatty acid content of castor oil. |
| Purification Methods |
Purify it as the methyl acetylricinoleate [Rider J Am Chem Soc 53 4130 1931], fractionally distilling it at 180-185o/0.3mm, then 87g of this ester is hydrolysed by refluxing with KOH (56g), water (25mL), and MeOH (250mL) for 10minutes. The free acid is separated on acidification and extracted into Et2O, dried (Na2SO4), filtered, evaporated and the residue is crystallised from acetone at -50o, and distilled in small batches, b 180o/0.005mm. The R-enantiomer has m +5.5o, b 245o/10mm and [] 26D +7.2o (c 5, Me2CO). [Bailey et al. J Chem Soc 3027 1957, Beilstein 3 IV 1026, 1207.] |
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