Mineral Oil Oxidation

Brwagur · Probably a bot. Joined: 03 Apr 2007 Posts: 1

I have an idea but I'm not sure if it will work or how to make it work:

OK, so if you take mineral oil (15-40 Carbons) and oxidize it (what oxidant should I use?) you should get an alcohol, like cetyl alcohol but longer chain, and if it is oxidized more it should become a carboxylic acid- a fatty acid. Is this correct so far?

Now, if this would produce fatty acids, how could I 'esterize' it with glycerine to make a triglyceride. Can this be done? I think my terminology is wrong but I hope what I'm saying is clear. This is just somthing that I have been thinking about and want to try.

RobJim · Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 6:12 am Post subject:

Getting alkanes to react is not easy. I don't know how you'd do it. The method you use will determine whether you get an alcohol or some other product of oxidation like an acid or ketone.

If you figure out how to go from alkane to fatty acid, then esterizing it to glycerine (properly called glycerol) should be easy. However I'm not familiar with how it's done. Google searching is suggesting to me that enzymes are usually used, but I don't know much about it.

Here are some references on that topic:

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v188/n4744/abs/188056b0.html