Patent ID: 9079847
Filing Date: 2015-07-14
Classification: C07C

Abstract:
1. A process for purifying a fatty acid which has 1 to 6 centers of unconjugated unsaturation, which process comprises: (a) reacting a fatty acid with a lithium salt in a first solution and under conditions to allow formation of a precipitate of a lithium salt of the fatty acid; (b) isolating the precipitate; (c) dissolving the precipitate in a second solution which is capable of generating two immiscible layers upon dissolution of the precipitate, the two immiscible layers being an organic layer and an aqueous acidic layer; (d) separating the two immiscible layers formed upon dissolution of the precipitate; and (e) evaporating the organic layer to isolate the purified fatty acid, wherein the process does not involve separating fatty acids from one another.