Preparation of petroselinic acid

Petroselinic acid of a grade which is suitable for most laboratory applications has been prepared by a single crystallization of the mixed fatty acids of parsley seed oil from 90% ethanol. A product of higher purity has been prepared from this acid by application of urea segregation techniques for the removal of saturated materials. No evidence of the presence of unsaturated fatty acids other than petroselinic acid was found in either of these samples when their ozonolysis products were examined chromatographically. On the basis of iodine values, assuming the absence of other unsaturated materials, the purities of the two preparations are 96.0 and 99.4%.