Analysis and characterization of the oil from the seeds of Thespesia populnea

Abstract

The potential industrial importance of the oil obtained in 20% yield from the ripe seeds of T. populnea led to the detn. of its phys. and chem. consts., and of its component fatty acids. Extn. of the finely ground seed by petr. ether (b. 45-65°) and removal of the solvent in vacuo yielded the dark-red oil, d28 0.9251, I value 71.5, sapon. value 203.2, acid value 0.53, unsaponifiable matter 0.72%, Reichert-Meissel value 5.5, and Reichert-Polenske value 0.37. Alk. hydrolysis of the oil yielded 22.2 total solid (I) and 77.8% total liquid fatty acids (II). The Me esters of I and of II were prepd. and fractionated, whereby I was found to consist of the acids, myristic (III) 1.0, palmitic (IV) 18.3, stearic (V) 1.9, and oleic (VI) 1.0%, whereas II consisted of IV 3.1, VI 31.5, and linoleic (VII) 43.2%, making the total fatty acid compn. of the oil, III 1.0, IV 21.4, V 1.9, VI 32.5, and VII 43.2%.