Reaction of Maleic Anhydride with cis‐Isolated Unsaturated Fatty Acid Esters

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Abstract
The structures of maleic anhydride adducts of essentially pure oleic, linoleic and linolenic methyl esters have been determined. The cleavage of the methyl oleate adduct yields a product with a succinyl structure, with or without shift of the double bond; four isomeric structures are possible. The first adduct of maleic anhydride with methyl linoleate is a succinyl derivative followed by a shift into the conjugated isomer with which the second maleic anhydride reacts via a 1–4 Diels Alder addition to yield a second adduct having a cyclohexene structure. The first two moles of maleic anhydride add to methyl linolenate to form di‐succinyl derivatives followed by a shift into conjugated diene and triene. The third maleic anhydride adds via a 1–4 addition to yield a disuccinyl and one 1–4 adduct. A number of isomers are possible for the linoleate and linolenate adduct.