(215a) Production of Chemicals from the Thermal Cracking of Castor Oil, Castor Oil Methyl Ester and Ricinoleic Acid

This work evaluates the experimental results of three different processes to obtain heptaldehyde, undecylenic acid and methyl undecylenate through castor oil, castor oil methyl ester, and ricinoleic acid. Heptaldehyde and undecylenic acid are important chemicals on food, packaging, ink, solvent and polymers industries. Methyl undecylenate is commonly used as a Flavoring agent and also an important route to obtain undecylenic acid. Methyl undecylenate was obtained by the thermal cracking of castor oil methyl ester. In order to obtain heptaldehyde, methyl undecylenate, and undecylenic acid, the thermal cracking was performed using commercial castor oil, castor oil methyl ester (obtained by castor oil transesterification reaction) and commercial ricinoleic acid, respectively. Thermal cracking temperatures were 530, 545, 560 and 575 °C with 400 g/h mass flow on the feed. All materials were blended with distilled water, considering the same proportion (75 % material, 25 % water). Temperature influence on bio-oil yields was observed, likewise different behaviors to each material. Iodine index, acid index, and density were determined to all bio-oil samples and their content were analyzed by GC-FID. The best condition to obtain higher yields of each chemical were pointed. With regard to the castor oil, higher yields of heptaldehyde and undecylenic acid were found on experiments at 530 °C. The same temperatures resulted in higher yields concerning the ricinoleic acid. The cracking of methyl ricinoleate results on higher yields of heptaldehyde at 530 °C and methyl undecylenate at 560 °C.