The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 08, 1995
Filed:
Mar. 29, 1994
Michael S Gibson, Loveland, OH (US);
The Procter & Gamble Company, Cincinnati, OH (US);
Abstract
The present invention relates to an improved process for preparing fatty acids from alkyl, preferably methyl esters comprising mixing the fatty acid ester with water, acid catalyst, and DMSO in order to form a single phase reaction mixture. The single phase reaction mixture is then heated to a temperature of from about 70.degree. C. to about 130.degree. C. to hydrolyze the fatty acid ester into the corresponding acid and volatile alcohol and removing the volatile alcohol. The acid catalyst is heat and water stable and the reaction mixture is essentially free of C.sub.2 -C.sub.5 carboxylic acids. The initial stoichiometric ratio of the water to the ester is at least about 1:1.