The Component Fatty Acids and Glycerides of Castor Oil
Abstract
Abstract Gas‐liquid chromatographic analysis of methyl esters of two samples of castor oil gave the following (as wt %): palmitate 1.2, 0.9; stearate 0.7, 1.2; arachidate 0.3, 0.2; hexadecenoate 0.2, 0.2; oleate 3.2, 3.3; linoleate 3.4, 3.7; linolenate 0.2, 0.2; ricinolE'ate 89.4, 89.0; and dihydroxystearate 1.4, 1.3. Oxidative cleavage of purified methyl ricinoleate indicated that the double bond was exclusively in the 9舑10 position. Castor oil glycerides were fractionated in a 100‐tube CCD apparatus using 90% ethanol and commercial hexane as solvents. Analysis of pooled fractions showed (as mole %) triricinolein 68.2, diricinoleins 28.0, mono‐ricinoleins 2.9 and nonricinoleins 0.9. These results coupled with lipase hydrolysis of the whole oil and of the fractions agree well with the distribution pattern proposed by Vander Wal.