Acid‐catalyzed alcoholysis ofVernonia galamensis oil

We have demonstrated the potential ofVernonia galamensis seed oil as a source of hydroxy alkoxy fatty esters. Reaction of the oil with various alcohols (methanol, ethanol, 1‐propanol and 2‐propanol), under acidic conditions, resulted in transesterification as well as epoxy ring opening in all cases. The major products, the hydroxy alkoxy fatty esters, constituted approximately 80% of the product mixtures, of which the 12‐hydroxy‐13‐alkoxy isomers were the major constituents. These derivatives were isolated by solvent extraction and/or column chromatography to afford 78–80% of pure isomers. Alcoholysis with butanol resulted in a poor yield of the hydroxy butoxy esters. A discussion of the isolation and mass‐spectrometric characterization of these new esters is provided.