The effect of the activation of carboxyl group and hydrogen migration on reaction pathway during the pyrolysis of triglycerides

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the activation of carboxyl group and hydrogen migration on the pyrolysis products of triglycerides. It was found that the activation of carboxylic group determined the efficiency of the decarboxylation reactions. The activation of carboxyl group influenced the pyrolysis products. The glycerol mono-stearate and glycerol mono-oleate were used as the model compounds to analyze the cracking of the ester bond. It was found that the first intermediate formed was RCOO·, but not RCO·. Large amount of ketone was found in the pyrolysis of stearate, while not in that of oleate. In comparison, alcohol was found in pyrolysis products of oleate, while not in stearate. The results indicated that during the pyrolysis process, the carbon-carbon double bond influenced both the cracking of the C-C bond and the transformation of the oxygen-containing functionalities. The activation of carboxyl group and hydrogen migration played essential roles in the determination of the formation of the pyrolysis products. In addition, the mechanism for the evolution of the acid, ester, ketone, aldehyde, alcohol, and other heavy compounds during the pyrolysis was also proposed.

KEYWORDS:

• Stearate
• oleate
• fatty acid
• pyrolysis
• bond cleavage
• in situ FTIR

Additional information

Funding

This paper was supported by the Foundation of Jiangsu University of Advanced scholars [15JDG159]. Joint technology transfer center of Yancheng Polytechnic College, Yancheng Polytechnic College.