ALLYL ESTERS OF CRAMBE-DERIVED LONG-CHAIN FATTY-ACIDS AND THEIR POLYMERS

Allyl esters of erucic, brassidic, behenic, oleo‐erucic, and stearo‐behenic acids, prepared by refluxing benzene solutions of the acids with excess allyl alcohol in the presence of p‐toluenesulfonic acid monohydrate, polymerize smoothly in the presence of 5 wt. % t‐butyl perbenzoate at 120°C for 24 hr. Polymerization of the unsaturated acid esters involves a large portion (ca. 84%) of allylic and a small portion (ca. 26%) of ethylenic bonds. The products, saturated and unsaturated, have a degree of polymerization between 6 and 10 and are soluble in typical polymer solvents. Crystallinity, judged by thermal analysis, decreased with increased cis unsaturation. The oligomers melted between −30°C and 59°C and started decomposing at 200°C. Copyright © 1979 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.