The preparation of lauryl alcohol and 6‐hydroxycaproic acid from petroselinic acid

Lauryl alcohol and 6‐hydroxycaproic acid have been prepared from the ozonolysis products from both petroselinic acid and its ethyl ester by reduction with sodium borohydride. Satisfactory conversion of the ozonolysis product from ethyl petroselinate to lauryl alcohol and ethyl 6‐hydroxycaproate was also achieved by catalytic hydrogenation, but the hydrogenation product was contaminated with small amounts of diethyl adipate and ethyl laurate as indicated by gas liquid chromatography. A procedure has been devised using ion exchange resin for the conversion of sodium 6‐hydroxycaproate to 6‐hydroxycaproic acid without the concomitant formation of lactones or polyesters.