Method for producing conjugated linoleic acid glycerides

1. A process comprising:

(a) isomerizing a fatty acid lower alkyl ester corresponding to the general formula (I) in the presence of a basic catalyst at a temperature of from 100 to 160° C., to form a conjugated fatty acid lower alkyl ester:

R 1 CO—OR 2   (I)

 wherein R 1 CO represents an acyl radical having from 16 to 22 carbon atoms and at least two carbon-carbon unsaturations and R 2 represents an alkyl radical having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms; and

(b) transesterifying the conjugated fatty acid lower alkyl ester with glycerol to form a conjugated fatty acid glyceride, wherein a lower alkanol corresponding to the general formula R 2 OH is formed, wherein R 2 is as defined above, and the lower alkanol is continuously removed from the transesterification reaction.

2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the fatty acid lower alkyl ester comprises a mixture of fatty acid lower alkyl esters corresponding to the general formula (I), wherein a predominant portion of the mixture is comprised of fatty acid lower alkyl esters corresponding to the general formula (I) wherein R 1 CO represents an acyl radical having from 16 to 22 carbon atoms and at least two carbon-carbon unsaturations.

3. The process according to claim 2 , wherein at least 50 mole % of the mixture is comprised of fatty acid lower alkyl esters corresponding to the general formula (I) wherein R 1 CO represents an acyl radical having from 16 to 22 carbon atoms and at least two carbon-carbon unsaturations.

4. The process according to claim 2 , wherein at least 60 mole % of the mixture is comprised of fatty acid lower alkyl esters corresponding to the general formula (I) wherein R 1 CO represents an acyl radical having from 16 to 22 carbon atoms and at least two carbon-carbon unsaturations.

5. The process according to claim 2 , wherein the mixture of fatty acid lower alkyl esters comprises a component selected from the group consisting of sunflower fatty acid esters, safflower fatty acid esters, rapeseed fatty acid esters and mixtures thereof.

6. The process according to claim 2 , wherein the mixture of fatty acid lower alkyl esters comprises safflower fatty acid esters.

7. The process according to claim 1 , wherein R 2 represents an alkyl radical having from 1 to 2 carbon atoms.

8. The process according to claim 2 , wherein the mixture of fatty acid lower alkyl esters comprises methyl or ethyl esters.

9. The process according to claim 3 , wherein the mixture of fatty acid lower alkyl esters comprises methyl or ethyl esters.

10. The process according to claim 6 , wherein the mixture of fatty acid lower alkyl esters comprises methyl or ethyl esters.

11. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the basic catalyst comprises a basic component selected from the group consisting of alkali metal hydroxides, alkali metal alkoxides and mixtures thereof.

12. The process according to claim 2 , wherein the basic catalyst comprises a basic component selected from the group consisting of alkali metal hydroxides, alkali metal alkoxides and mixtures thereof.

13. The process according to claim 3 , wherein the basic catalyst comprises a basic component selected from the group consisting of alkali metal hydroxides, alkali metal alkoxides and mixtures thereof.

14. The process according to claim 5 , wherein the basic catalyst comprises a basic component selected from the group consisting of alkali metal hydroxides, alkali metal alkoxides and mixtures thereof.

15. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the isomerization is carried out over a period of from 1 to 6 hours.

16. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the conjugated fatty acid lower alkyl ester and the glycerol are reacted in a molar ratio of from 1:0.3 to 1:0.5.

17. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the transesterification reaction is carried out at temperatures of from 100 to 160° C.

18. The process according to claim 2 , wherein the mixture of fatty acid lower alkyl esters is isomerized to form a mixture of conjugated fatty acid lower alkyl esters, and the mixture of conjugated fatty acid lower alkyl esters is transesterified with glycerol to form a mixture of conjugated fatty acid glycerides, wherein the mixture of conjugated fatty acid glycerides contains less than 3% by weight of conjugated linoleic acid moieties having trans-trans double bonds, based on the total content of conjugated linoleic acid moieties.

19. The process according to claim 2 , wherein the mixture of fatty acid lower alkyl esters is isomerized to form a mixture of conjugated fatty acid lower alkyl esters, and the mixture of conjugated fatty acid lower alkyl esters is transesterified with glycerol to form a mixture of conjugated fatty acid glycerides, wherein the mixture of conjugated fatty acid glycerides contains at least 95% by weight of c9,t11- and t10,c12-isomers of conjugated linoleic acid moieties, based on the total content of conjugated linoleic acid moieties.

20. A process comprising:

(a) isomerizing a mixture of fatty acid lower alkyl esters corresponding to the general formula (I) to form a conjugated fatty acid methyl ester, in the presence of a basic catalyst comprising a basic component selected from the group consisting of alkali metal hydroxides, alkali metal alkoxides and mixtures thereof at a temperature of from 100 to 160° C.:

R 1 CO—OR 2   (I)

 wherein a predominant portion of the mixture is comprised of fatty acid methyl esters corresponding to the general formula (I) wherein R 1 CO represents an acyl radical having from 16 to 22 carbon atoms and at least two carbon-carbon unsaturations; and

(b) transesterifying the conjugated fatty acid methyl ester with glycerol to form a conjugated fatty acid glyceride, wherein methanol is formed, and the methanol is continuously removed from the transesterification reaction.