Claims
- 1. A mixture of unsaturated lactones and the saturated lactone, gamma-decalactone, each of which is defined according to the structure: ##STR102## wherein R represents C.sub.6 alkyl or alkenyl; and X represents C.sub.2, C.sub.4 or C.sub.6 alkylene or alkenylene with the provisos that R is C.sub.6 alkyl when X is C.sub.2, C.sub.4 or C.sub.6 alkenylene or C.sub.2 alkylene and R is C.sub.6 alkenyl when X is C.sub.2, C.sub.4 or C.sub.6 alkylene, said lactones having the structures: ##STR103## prepared according to the process consisting of the sequential steps of: (i) fermenting at a pH in the range of from about 5.5 up to about 7 and at a temperature in the range of from about 20.degree. C. up to about 35.degree. C. castor oil, a castor oil hydrolysate or ricinoleic acid with a microorganism selected from the group consisting of:
- Candida petrophilum, ATCC 20226;
- Candida oleophila, ATCC 20177;
- Candida sp., ATCC 20504; and
- Candida sake, ATCC 28137
- whereby gamma hydroxydecanoic acid and a mixture of other acids defined according to the generic structure: ##STR104## wherein Y represents an oxo-saturated, oxo-unsaturated or di-unsaturated C.sub.9, C.sub.11 or C.sub.13 moiety according to the reaction: ##STR105## (ii) effecting the lactonization of the resulting gamma hydroxydecanoic acid at a pH in the range of 0-5 and at a temperature in the range of from about 90.degree. C. up to about 120.degree. C. by means of simultaneous acidification and heating according to the reaction: ##STR106## and then (iii) effecting lactonization by means of distillation at a temperature in the range of 120.degree.-220.degree. C. and at a pH of between about 1 and about 7 of the resulting acids defined according to the structure: ##STR107## to form the mixture of lactones defined according to the structure: ##STR108## and having the structures: ##STR109## according to the reaction: ##STR110## whereby the sum of the number of carbon atoms in the X moiety and in the R moiety is equal to the number of carbon atoms in the Y moiety minus 1.
Parent Case Info
This is a divisional of application for U.S. application Ser. No. 279,065 filed Dec. 2, 1988, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,597 issued Oct. 2, 1990 which is a continuation-in-part of application for U.S. application Ser. No. 228,512 filed Aug. 5, 1988, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,782 issued on Aug. 7, 1990.
US Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
3621035 |
Lakodey et al. |
Nov 1971 |
|
4011177 |
Ansari et al. |
Mar 1977 |
|
4560656 |
Farbood et al. |
Dec 1985 |
|
Foreign Referenced Citations (5)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0258993 |
Mar 1988 |
EPX |
2603048 |
Feb 1988 |
FRX |
63-39594 |
Feb 1988 |
JPX |
WO8301072 |
Mar 1983 |
WOX |
634570 |
Feb 1983 |
CHX |
Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
279065 |
Dec 1988 |
|
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
228512 |
Aug 1988 |
|