176 III. CHEMISTRY OF NEUTRAL FATS 



num vessel at 110°C. under utmospheric pressure with air and a 0.2% solu- 

 tion of potassium permanganate as a catalyst, the material is saponified 

 by soda ash or caustic soda, and the resulting soap is separated by settling, 

 autoclaving, and flash distillation. The soap is transformed to fatty acids 

 with sulfuric acid, and the fatty acids are fractionated by steam distillation. 

 The second and third fractions, which include the Cio to Ci8 fatty acids, 

 are used for the production of synthetic fats. After esterification with glyc- 

 erol by the use of the Bellucci method, which employs a zinc catalyst and a 

 temperature of 120-180°C., a synthetic triglyceride is obtained which can 

 be used for the preparation of margarine. ^^ 



In addition to the fatty acids produced by the Witten works (FSW), other 

 sources of starting material were the "RiebeckparafHn" obtained from the 

 tar of brown coal and the "Tieftemperatur-HydrierungsparafRn" (TTH). 

 Production of synthetic fats was likewise carried out by the Oppau plant of 

 I. G. Farbenindustrie-A.-G., as well as at Ludwigshafen by the Badische 

 Anilin und Soda Fabrik (BASF). 



The physical properties of the synthetic fats vary with the nature of the 

 starting material. Samples are reported as bro\vn or colorless, odorless, 

 and having melting points®*~^^ varying from 31° to 47°C. Table 2 sum- 

 marizes the available data on several types of synthetic fats. 



Table 2 

 Some Constants fob Various Fats Synthesized from Petroleum Products" 



" Data adapted from Synthetic Fats. Their Potential Contribution to World Food Re- 

 quirements, Food and Agricultui-e Organization of the United Nations, Nov. 3, 1948. 



The synthetic fats are triglycerides chiefly of the Cio to Cig fatty acids. 

 They contain small amounts of di- and monoglycerides, just as is the case 



*3 F. A. O. Report, Synthetic Fats, Their Potential Contribution to World Food Require- 

 ments, Washington, D. C, Nov. 3, 1948. 



** J. W. Vincent, "Aspects of the Synthetic Fatty Acids and the Synthetic Fat Indus- 

 tries in Germany," U. S. Dept. of Commerce, Publication Board Report No. 49,196, 

 Washington, D. C. (July, 1946). Bios Final Report, 805, Item 22. Bibliog. Scientific 

 and Industrial Repts., 4, (Jan.-May, 1947), p. 1043. 



^ P. N. WilUams, Chemistry & Industry, 19, 251-255 (1947). 



6« G. Schiller, Z. Lebensm. Untersuch. Forsch., 88, 174-190 (1948). Cited by F. A. O. 

 Report, Synthetic Fats, Washington, D. C, Nov. 3, 1948, p. 3. 



