The present invention primarily relates to a method for producing a compound of formula (I) and/or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof from vanillylmandelic acid and/or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof. The present invention further relates to the simultaneous use of one or more iodide salt(s) or hydrate(s) thereof, one or more reducing agent(s), one or more inorganic and/or organic acid(s) other than phosphonic acid, and methanol and/or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof or an alcohol of formula (II) as defined herein and/or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof for converting vanillylmandelic acid and/or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof into a compound of formula (I) and/or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof or into a compound of formula (III) as defined herein and/or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof.

The present invention primarily relates to a method for producing a compound of formula (I) and/or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof from vanillylmandelic acid and/or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof. The present invention further relates to the simultaneous use of one or more iodide salt(s) or hydrate(s) thereof, one or more reducing agent(s), one or more inorganic and/or organic acid(s) other than phosphonic acid, and methanol and/or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof or an alcohol of formula (II) as defined herein and/or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof for converting vanillylmandelic acid and/or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof into a compound of formula (I) and/or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof or into a compound of formula (III) as defined herein and/or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof.

The present invention relates to hydroxy-triglycerides, their synthesis, a pharmaceutical and/or nutraceutical composition which comprises at least one of said hydroxy-triglycerides, and a method which comprises the administration to a patient of a therapeutically effective quantity of at least one of said hydroxy-triglycerides or at least one of said pharmaceutical and/or nutraceutical compositions, for the prevention and/or treatment of at least one disease selected from cancer, metabolic/cardiovascular diseases, and/or neurological/inflammatory diseases.

The present invention relates to hydroxy-triglycerides, their synthesis, a pharmaceutical and/or nutraceutical composition which comprises at least one of said hydroxy-triglycerides, and a method which comprises the administration to a patient of a therapeutically effective quantity of at least one of said hydroxy-triglycerides or at least one of said pharmaceutical and/or nutraceutical compositions, for the prevention and/or treatment of at least one disease selected from cancer, metabolic/cardiovascular diseases, and/or neurological/inflammatory diseases.

A process for the synthesis of trans-fused γ-lactones having Formula (IV) from substituted cyclic ketones having Formula (I). A diastereoselective synthesis of (±)-epianastrephin (1) (wherein: R.sup.1 is ethenyl, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 is methyl, and n is 1), (±)-anastrephin (2) (wherein: R.sup.2 is ethenyl, R.sup.1 and R.sup.3 is methyl and n is 1), and analogs thereof (wherein: R.sup.1 is H, C.sub.1-5 alkyl, C.sub.2-6 alkenyl or C.sub.2-6 alkynyl, R.sup.2 is H, C.sub.1-5 alkyl, C.sub.2-6 alkenyl or C.sub.2-6 alkynyl, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 together with the carbon atom they are attached form a C.sub.3-6 cycloalkyl ring, R.sup.3 is C.sub.1-5 alkyl and n is 0-2):

##STR00001##

A process for the synthesis of trans-fused γ-lactones having Formula (IV) from substituted cyclic ketones having Formula (I). A diastereoselective synthesis of (±)-epianastrephin (1) (wherein: R.sup.1 is ethenyl, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 is methyl, and n is 1), (±)-anastrephin (2) (wherein: R.sup.2 is ethenyl, R.sup.1 and R.sup.3 is methyl and n is 1), and analogs thereof (wherein: R.sup.1 is H, C.sub.1-5 alkyl, C.sub.2-6 alkenyl or C.sub.2-6 alkynyl, R.sup.2 is H, C.sub.1-5 alkyl, C.sub.2-6 alkenyl or C.sub.2-6 alkynyl, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 together with the carbon atom they are attached form a C.sub.3-6 cycloalkyl ring, R.sup.3 is C.sub.1-5 alkyl and n is 0-2):

##STR00001##

The present invention relates to methods by which the thermal dissociation of Michael adducts present in a stream of crude acrylic acid, called “crude ester grade”, and the esterification reaction of acrylic acid present in the stream of crude acrylic acid, or generated in situ by thermal dissociation, with a light alcohol, are carried out simultaneously.

The present invention relates to methods by which the thermal dissociation of Michael adducts present in a stream of crude acrylic acid, called “crude ester grade”, and the esterification reaction of acrylic acid present in the stream of crude acrylic acid, or generated in situ by thermal dissociation, with a light alcohol, are carried out simultaneously.

The present invention relates to methods by which the thermal dissociation of Michael adducts present in a stream of crude acrylic acid, called “crude ester grade”, and the esterification reaction of acrylic acid present in the stream of crude acrylic acid, or generated in situ by thermal dissociation, with a light alcohol, are carried out simultaneously.

Provided herein are processes of preparing sulfonated estolide compounds, and the removal of sulfonate residues from those compounds to provide desulfonated estolide base oils. Exemplary sulfonated estolide compounds include those selected from the formula: ##STR00001##
wherein z is an integer selected from 0 to 15; q is an integer selected from 0 to 15; x is, independently for each occurrence, an integer selected from 0 to 20; y is, independently for each occurrence, an integer selected 0 to 20; n is equal to or greater than 0; R.sub.6 is selected from —OH, optionally substituted alkyl, and optionally substituted aryl; and R.sub.2 is selected from hydrogen and optionally substituted alkyl that is saturated or unsaturated, and branched or unbranched, wherein each fatty acid chain residue of said compounds is independently optionally substituted.