Kinetics of copper‐chromite hydrogenation in soybean and linseed oils: Effect of pressure

Although a prime impetus for study of copper catalysts has been the selective reduction of linolenic acid in soybean oil, recent economic developments raise the possibility that hydrogenated linseed oil might be a suitable edible oil. Consequently the effect of two hydrogen pressure levels in soybean and linseed oils on the kinetic pathway and on the final distribution of residual double bonds was investigated. The course of the reaction was studied by removing a sample at intervals corresponding to a small iodine value drop, and constituents were determined analytically. The higher pressure increased the rate of reduction, decreased the concentration of conjugated dienes and somewhat reduced the migration of double bonds.