Hydrochloric Acid → Oleic Acid

Participants

Reaction Steps

Under nitrogen, 3.2 ml (10 mmol) oleic acid, 400 mg (10 mmol) sodium hydroxide, 1 g (25 mmol) sodium borohydride and 500 mg (0.9 mmol) cobalt (II) phthalocyanine are agitated in 80 ml ethanol for 93 hours at 20° C. The green reaction mixture is neutralized, cooling with ice, with 5N hydrochloric acid, and the blue precipitate is centrifuged which is washed with ethanol. The centrifugate collected is mixed with 50 ml 5N hydrochloric acid extraction is performed with benzene. The benzene phase is washed with water, dried with sodium sulfate and concentrated. The fractional crystallization of the ethanol residue yields 1.2 g (42%) stearic acid as well as 1.3 g (46%) not-yet-converted oleic acid.

Provenance & Evidence