Castor oil, the only natural source of ricinoleic acid, has many industrial applications. Lithium 12-hydroxystearate, the main component of multi-purpose grease, a commodity for auto industry, can be obtained from a castor oil through a series of transformations. The process, that has been developed into an undergraduate laboratory experiment, involves three individual reactions that are routinely taught in the sophomore organic chemistry and are showcased here in an industrial application: hydrogenation, transesterification, and saponification. The experiment design has focused on comparison of several methods the green chemistry perspective. The students are introduced to biomass based resources, catalytic transfer hydrogenation, and alternative heat/energy sources (microwave irradiation).

From castor oil to lithium 12-hydroxystearate

245th National Meeting (2013)

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