Analysis of the Seed Lipids of Aleurites montana
1998 ◽
Vol 53
(5-6)
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pp. 305-310
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Keyword(s):
Tung Oil
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Abstract The seed lipids of the Chinese tung-oil tree Aleurites montana are composed of 97.2% triglycerides, 2% phospholipids and of 0.8% glycolipids. In the triglycerides 67% of all fatty acids are α-eleostearic acid (configuration C18:3, ∆9 cis, ∆11 trans, ∆13 trans). This acid is bound in the triglycerides in the 1,3 position. Via mercury Il-acetate adducts and subsequent chromatography on silica gel a separation of this fatty acid from the seed fatty acids is possible. By this procedure an a-eleostearic acid-free tung-oil mixture is obtained, which consists by one half of C18:2, 25% of C18:1 and by 25% of the saturated fatty acids C16:0, C18:0 and C14:0.