| abstract |
The method is carried out in a two-phase aqueous-organic system in which the organic phase contains the unsaturated fatty acid and/or the esters thereof and the aqueous phase contains hydrogen peroxide. The oxidative cleavage is carried out in the presence of a catalytic system including a catalyst belonging to the group constituted by tungstic and molybdic acids and alkaline salts thereof, and an onium salt which acts as a phase-transfer agent for the catalyst, and has the formula: (R2R3R4R5M)+Y-, in which R2, R3, R4 and R5 represent hydrocarbon groups of which at least one must have more than 10 carbon atoms, M is N or P, and Y- is an inorganic anion. |