Sustainable Ring-Opening Reactions of Epoxidized Linseed Oil in Heterogeneous Catalysis

Abstract

In this study, renewable products with potentially interesting properties and applications were synthesized by functionalizing linseed oil via epoxidation and epoxy ring-opening with carboxylic acids and anhydrides. LDHs (Layered Double Hydroxides), a well-known class of materials used for a wide range of reactions, are the catalysts used in this study, with the overall advantages of facile separation and reusability. In our study, different types of carboxylic acids and anhydrides were employed as reactants with the advantage of leading to sustainable products that can replace petrochemical compounds. Following the optimization of the reaction conditions, including the basicity of the catalyst, at 170 °C a quasi-total conversion of the epoxy groups was achieved for all the ring-opening reagents.