| abstract |
The invention concerns a method of preparing ketons of fatty acids by the pyrolysis of the magnesium salts of fatty acids. Fatty acids of the formula (I): R1COOH, in which R1CO an aliphatic acyl group with 12 to 22 carbon atoms and with 0, 1, 2, or 3 double bonds, are heated in the presence of magnesium oxide to temperatures of 290 to 450 °C and the ketones thus formed distilled off at reduced pressure from the reaction mixture. |