Phenolation of vegetable oils

Abstract

Novel bio-based compounds containing phenols suitable for the synthesis of polyurethanes were prepared. The direct alkylation of phenols with different vegetable oils in the presence of superacids (HBF4, triflic acid) as catalysts was studied. The reaction kinetics was followed by monitoring the decrease of the double bond content (iodine value) with time. In order to understand the mechanism of the reaction, phenol was alkylated with model compounds. The model compounds containing one internal double bond were 9-octadecene and methyl oleate and those with three double bonds were triolein and high oleic safflower oil (82% oleic acid). It was shown that the best structures for phenol alkylation are fatty acids with only one double bond (oleic acid). Fatty acids with two double bonds (linoleic acid) and three double bonds (linolenic acid) lead to polymerized oils by a Diels Alder reaction, and to a lesser extent to phenol alkylated products. The reaction product of direct alkylation of phenol with vegetable oils is a complex mixture of phenol alkylated with polymerized oil (30-60%), phenyl esters formed by transesterification of phenol with triglyceride ester bonds (<10 %) and unreacted oil (30%). The phenolated vegetable oils are new aromatic-aliphatic bio-based raw materials suitable for the preparation of polyols (by propoxylation, ethoxylation, Mannich reactions) for the preparation of polyurethanes, as intermediates for phenolic resins or as bio-based antioxidants.