Patent ID: 9272275
Filing Date: 2016-03-01
CPC Classification: B01J,C10G,C11C,Y02P

Claim Text:
1. A method of selectively decarboxylating a fatty acid comprising: providing a fatty acid feedstock and an aqueous solution of hydrogen peroxide, wherein the fatty acid feedstock comprises fatty acids having a carboxyl group; generating a water soluble oxidant by a photo-Fenton reaction of the hydrogen peroxide in the presence of light; contacting the water soluble oxidant with the fatty acid, wherein the fatty acids are selectively decarboxylated by the water soluble oxidant to remove the carboxyl group from the fatty acid and a selectively decarboxylated product is produced, wherein the selectively decarboxylated product is a hydrocarbon corresponding to the non-carboxyl group portion of the fatty acids; and isolating the selectively decarboxylated product, wherein a water/oil interface is formed between the water soluble oxidant and the fatty acid feedstock, and wherein the fatty acids in the fatty acid feedstock are oriented such that the carboxyl groups of the fatty acids at the water/oil interface prevent contact between the oxidant and non-carboxyl groups of the fatty acid feedstock.