Oy Kaukas Ab

Oy Kaukus Ab

Antti Hamunen

The invention relates to a process for the preparation of .beta.-sitosterol having a low content of .alpha.-sitosterol of a sterol mixture isolated from the unsaponifiables obtained from crude soap from the sulphate cellulose process. The invention is based on crystallization of the sterol mixture from a mixture of an organic solvent and water, preferably 1,2-dichloroethylene or methyl ethyl ketone and water. By means of the process according to the invention, from starting materials containing 20 to 25% .alpha.-sitosterol is obtained a product which contains less than 5% .alpha.-sitosterol and which, when required, can be retreated by means of the process according to the invention to obtain .beta.-sitosterol containing less than 1% .alpha.-sitosterol. When using methyl ethyl ketone as organic solvent, .beta.-sitosterol is also purified of any betulin contained in the starting material.

Process for the purification of .beta.-sitosterol isolated from the

The invention relates to a process for the isolation of sterols or sterol mixtures from unsaponifiable fractions of extractants of vegetable origin, especially from the neutral substance of crude soap from the sulphate cellulose process. According to the process, the neutral substance and a small amount of a suitable solvent which, depending on the desired composition of the product, preferably is methanol or a mixture of methyl ethyl ketone, are mixed, when required, while heating, the cooled mixture is filtered and the sterol precipitate obtained is washed with a suitable wash solvent, preferably acetone or a mixture of acetone and methanol. The sterol mixture prepared according to the invention and obtained when starting out from the unsaponifiables of crude soap obtained from raw wood comprising birch and using methanol as solvent contains about 5% campesterol, 65 to 80% .beta.-sitosterol and 15 to 25% .alpha.-sitosterol. When using a mixture of methyl ethyl ketone and water as solvent, a product is obtained having a low .alpha.-sitosterol content (&lt;5%), a campesterol content of 6 to 8% and a .beta.-sitosterol content of 85 to 90%.

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Lappeenranta, Finland

Antti Hamunen