Oleochemicals building blocks

The use of oleochemicals in polymers has a long tradition. One can differentiate between the use as polymer materials, such as linseed oil and soybean oil as drying oils, polymer stabilizers and additives, such as epoxidized soybean oil as plasticizer, and building blocks for polymers, such as dicarboxylic acids for polyesters or polyamides (Table 4.2) [7]. Considering the total market for polymers of ca. 150 million tonnes in 1997 the share of oleochemical based products is relatively small - or, in other terms, the potential for these products is very high. Without doubt there is still a trend in the use of naturally derived materials for polymer applications, especially in niche markets. As an example, the demand for linseed oil for the production of linoleum has increased from 10000 tonnes in 1975 to 50 000 tonnes in 1998 (coming from 120000 tonnes in 1960 ) [8a]. Epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) as a plastic additive has a relatively stable market of ca. 100000 tonnes year-1 [8b]. 

The oldest surfactant is soap, which may be traced back to the ancient Egyptians and beyond. Synthetic surfactants had been produced in the first half of the 20th century but it was only after World War II, with the development of the modern petrochemical industry, that alternative feedstocks to oleochemicals became readily available. Hence chloroparaf-fins and/or alphaolefins and benzene were used to produce alkylbenzene (or alkylate ), processes were developed to produce a range of synthetic fatty alcohols and alkylene oxide chemistry resulted in ethylene oxide and propylene oxide building blocks becoming readily available. 

Coconut oil is one of the most important raw materials for the oleochemical industry. The whole range of its fatty acid composition is used as the starting material for a wide variety of oleochemical products. Fatty acids are the building blocks that, with proper selection and application of oleochemistry, are converted to higher valued products. 

Heidbreder, A., Hofer, R., Grutzmacher, R., Westfechtel, A., Blewett, C.W., 1999. Oleochemical products as building blocks for polymers. Fett/Upid 101,418-424. 

Carbohydrates have high functionality and are also starting materials for (di)hydroxy d. Oleochemical sources have the disadvantage of contributing only monofunctionality. It is therefore highly desirable to find routes of incorporating difunctionality to make them useful, e.g., as building blocks in polymers such as polyamides, polyesters and polyurethanes (- polymers from fats and oils). 

A.Heidbrecher et al. Oleochemical Products as Building Blocks for Polymers Fett/Lipid 101, 418 (1999)... 

---