23,4 West and Cruz: Cashew-nut Oil 343 



SATURATED ACIDS 



The impure saturated acids were converted into their methyl 

 esters by dissolving the acids in methyl alcohol and saturating 

 the solution with dry hydrogen chloride which was prepared by 

 treating fused ammonium chloride with sulphuric acid and pass- 

 ing the gas through sulphuric acid. The mixture was then 

 heated on a water bath (reflux) for fifteen hours, after which it 

 was treated with water and the ester layer separated. The 

 esters were dissolved in ether and the ethereal solution was 

 washed with sodium carbonate solution and afterwards with 

 water. The ethereal solution was then dehydrated with anhy- 

 drous sodium sulphate, filtered, and the ether removed by dis- 

 tilling. The impure esters, which were yellow, were distilled 

 under diminished pressure. A preliminary distillation at about 

 15 millimeters pressure was made to obtain the pure colorless 

 esters and eliminate the dark-colored impurities which were 

 formed as by-products in the esterification process. The color- 

 less esters were then redistilled. Data on the distillation of the 

 esters are given in Table 5. 



Table 5. — Distillation of the methyl esters of the saturated acids. 





As a result of the first distillation, 52.6666 grams of esters 

 gave 48.6132 grams of distillate and 4.0534 grams of brown 

 residue. The temperature varied from about 211° to 215°, and 

 the pressure was about 15 millimeters. The colorless distillate 

 was then redistilled, yielding 45.8184 grams of a second dis- 

 tillate and 2.7948 grams of second residue which had a light 

 yellow color. During the second distillation the esters distilled 

 over at a temperature of about 212° to 214°. Since at the 

 beginning of the distillation the esters were colorless and the 

 residue which remained after the distillation was light yellow, 

 it would seem that the esters were partially decomposed during 

 the distillation. At a pressure of 15 millimeters methyl oleate 

 distills at 212° and methyl stearate at 214°. The results ob- 



