CONVERSION OF FATTY ACID FEEDSTOCKS TO 2-OXAZOLINE

βA sustainable and clean synthesis of 2-oxazolines from different fatty acids is described in this article. Various small (C6 and C8), medium (C10 and C12) and long chain (C16 and C18) fatty acids were reacted with 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol in the presence of Hβ-zeolite under microwave irradiation. The Hβ-zeolite was used both as a catalyst and a support to facilitate the cyclisation and dehydration reactions leading to 2-oxazoline formation. Yields of the corresponding 2-oxazolines were 68%-94%. The work-up and purification method presented here is safe, and high yielding. Experimental results also indicated that smaller aliphatic acids viz, acetic acid, butyric acid, and valeric acid did not yield the expected products as they are too small to be retained inside the cavity of Hβ-zeolite.