HYDROXY FATTY-ACIDS THROUGH HYDROXYLATION OF OLEIC-ACID WITH SELENIUMDIOXIDELTERT-BUTYLHYDROPEROXIDE

Oleic acid was hydroxylated in the allylic positions with the selenium dioxide/tert.-butylhydroperoxide system to give 8-hydroxy-9(E)-octade cenoic acid, 11-hydroxy-9(E)-octadecenoic acid and the novel 8,11-dihy droxy-9(E)-octadecenoic acid. This is a viable method for obtaining hy droxy fatty acids. The unsaturated hydroxy acids were hydrogenated wit h the hydrazine/air system to give the corresponding saturated product s. 8,11-Dihydroxyoctadecanoic acid thus obtained is also a novel compo und. 'rhe saturated and unsaturated dihydroxy products were obtained a s erythro/threo isomers as determined by nuclear magnetic resonance.