The isolation and characterization of the polymers formed during the autoxidation of ethyl linolenate

Summary Pure ethyl linolenate was prepared and autoxidized; and dimeric and trimeric fractions were separated by solvent fractionation. These fractions were subjected to quantitative, functional group‐analysis. On a basis of oxygen known to be present but not detected in the functional groups the possibility that polymerization had taken place through an oxygen linkage was considered. The mild nature of the reagent causing depolymerization suggested that this linkage was of the peroxide type rather than the dioxane ring.