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Synthetic Polyester from Algae Oil
Author(s) -
Roesle Philipp,
Stempfle Florian,
Hess Sandra K.,
Zimmerer Julia,
Río Bártulos Carolina,
Lepetit Bernard,
Eckert Angelika,
Kroth Peter G.,
Mecking Stefan
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
angewandte chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1521-3757
pISSN - 0044-8249
DOI - 10.1002/ange.201403991
Subject(s) - algae , phaeodactylum tricornutum , organic chemistry , polyester , chemistry , methanol , crystallization , fatty acid , isomerization , catalysis , botany , biology
Current efforts to technically use microalgae focus on the generation of fuels with a molecular structure identical to crude oil based products. Here we suggest a different approach for the utilization of algae by translating the unique molecular structures of algae oil fatty acids into higher value chemical intermediates and materials. A crude extract from a microalga, the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum, was obtained as a multicomponent mixture containing amongst others unsaturated fatty acid (16:1, 18:1, and 20:5) phosphocholine triglycerides. Exposure of this crude algae oil to CO and methanol with the known catalyst precursor [{1,2‐( t Bu 2 PCH 2 ) 2 C 6 H 4 }Pd(OTf)](OTf) resulted in isomerization/methoxycarbonylation of the unsaturated fatty acids into a mixture of linear 1,17‐ and 1,19‐diesters in high purity (>99 %). Polycondensation with a mixture of the corresponding diols yielded a novel mixed polyester‐17/19.17/19 with an advantageously high melting and crystallization temperature.