To a 3-neck 100 mL flask equipped with an argon inlet, stir bar and distillation apparatus was added 1-octadecanol (5.03 g, 19 mmol, obtained from Sigma-Aldrich), methyl 3,4-epoxycyclohexanecarboxylate (ERL-4140, 8.69 g, 56 mmol, obtained from Dow Chemical Company), 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO™, 1.02 g, 9.1 mmol, obtained from Sigma-Aldrich) and toluene (15 mL). The reaction mixture was refluxed until methanol ceased collecting in the receiving flask and the completion of the reaction was confirmed by 1H NMR spectroscopy. The still pot from the distillation was diluted with toluene (15 mL) and washed with brine (3×15 mL). The organic layer was separated, dried over MgSO4 and filtered. The solvent was removed in vacuo. The excess methyl 3,4-epoxycyclohexane carboxylate was removed via Kugelrohr distillation under reduced vacuum to give 6.78 g (87%) of a white solid (mp=32-34° C.) of octadecyl 3,4-epoxycyclohexanecarboxylate. 1H NMR (CDCl3, δ): 4.06 (td, J=6.7, 1.9 Hz, 2H), 3.25-3.14 (m, 2H), 2.55-2.45 (m, 1H), 2.31-1.26 (m, 38H), 0.88 (t, J=6.7 Hz, 3H).
