Method for preparing cleaved products from castor oil or derivatives

Abstract

A process for producing a cleaved product from castor oil, or derivatives thereof, by high temperature caustic oxidation reaction accomplished by combining at least one chemically inert heat transfer fluid, a catalyst, and an alkali in aqueous solution to form a first mixture wherein the diluent is present in an amount sufficient to reduce foaming and solidification of the mixture while increasing the yield and improving the purity and adding a ricinic compound to the first mixture to form a second mixture. The temperature of the second mixture is raised to a level sufficient to conduct pyrolysis, and the cleaved product produced thereby is recovered by adding an acid to the reaction mixture in an amount sufficient to acidify the reaction mixture down below a pH of about 6. The invention further relates to the reaction mixture used to produce the cleaved products. The present invention provides higher product yields and purer cleaved products produced by the oxidation of castor oil or its derivatives than conventionally obtained.