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.

A method for producing esters of an alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid are disclosed, the method includes reacting a three or four carbon beta-hydroxyalkanoate composition or mixtures thereof with a mono-alcohol under heating conditions to form a reaction product and distilling the reaction product to recover a composition containing at least fifty percent by weight of the ester of the alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid.

A method for producing esters of an alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid are disclosed, the method includes reacting a three or four carbon beta-hydroxyalkanoate composition or mixtures thereof with a mono-alcohol under heating conditions to form a reaction product and distilling the reaction product to recover a composition containing at least fifty percent by weight of the ester of the alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid.

A method for producing esters of an alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid are disclosed, the method includes reacting a three or four carbon beta-hydroxyalkanoate composition or mixtures thereof with a mono-alcohol under heating conditions to form a reaction product and distilling the reaction product to recover a composition containing at least fifty percent by weight of the ester of the alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid.

A method for producing esters of an alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid are disclosed, the method includes reacting a three or four carbon beta-hydroxyalkanoate composition or mixtures thereof with a mono-alcohol under heating conditions to form a reaction product and distilling the reaction product to recover a composition containing at least fifty percent by weight of the ester of the alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid.

A method for producing esters of an alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid are disclosed, the method includes reacting a three or four carbon beta-hydroxyalkanoate composition or mixtures thereof with a mono-alcohol under heating conditions to form a reaction product and distilling the reaction product to recover a composition containing at least fifty percent by weight of the ester of the alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid.

A method for producing esters of an alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid are disclosed, the method includes reacting a three or four carbon beta-hydroxyalkanoate composition or mixtures thereof with a mono-alcohol under heating conditions to form a reaction product and distilling the reaction product to recover a composition containing at least fifty percent by weight of the ester of the alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid.

The present invention provides processes for preparing an α-necrodyl compound of the following general formula (3): wherein R.sup.2 represents a monovalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 9 carbon atoms, the process comprising: subjecting a 3, 5, 5-trimethyl-3-cyclopentene compound of the following general formula (1): wherein R.sup.2 is as defined above, and X represents a leaving group, to a nucleophilic substitution reaction with a methylating agent of the following general formula (2): wherein M represents Li, MgZ.sup.1, ZnZ.sup.1, Cu, CuZ.sup.1, or CuLiZ.sup.1, and Z.sup.1 represents a halogen atom or a methyl group, to form the α-necrodyl compound (3). The present invention further provides processes for preparing γ-necrodyl compounds of the following general formula (4): wherein R.sup.2 represents a monovalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 9 carbon atoms, the process comprising: subjecting the α-necrodyl compound (3) thus obtained to a positional isomerization reaction at the double bond to form the γ-necrodyl compound (4). ##STR00001##

The present invention provides processes for preparing an α-necrodyl compound of the following general formula (3): wherein R.sup.2 represents a monovalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 9 carbon atoms, the process comprising: subjecting a 3, 5, 5-trimethyl-3-cyclopentene compound of the following general formula (1): wherein R.sup.2 is as defined above, and X represents a leaving group, to a nucleophilic substitution reaction with a methylating agent of the following general formula (2): wherein M represents Li, MgZ.sup.1, ZnZ.sup.1, Cu, CuZ.sup.1, or CuLiZ.sup.1, and Z.sup.1 represents a halogen atom or a methyl group, to form the α-necrodyl compound (3). The present invention further provides processes for preparing γ-necrodyl compounds of the following general formula (4): wherein R.sup.2 represents a monovalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 9 carbon atoms, the process comprising: subjecting the α-necrodyl compound (3) thus obtained to a positional isomerization reaction at the double bond to form the γ-necrodyl compound (4). ##STR00001##

A method of producing an α,β-unsaturated dicarboxylic acid ester exemplified by an α-hydromuconic acid ester from a carboxylic acid ester exemplified by a 3-hydroxyadipic acid ester or a 3-hydroxyadipic acid-3,6-lactone ester, in which the selectivity for the α,β-unsaturated dicarboxylic acid ester can be increased by subjecting the carboxylic acid ester to a basic condition of pH 8.5 to less than 13 in an organic solvent or a mixed solvent of an organic solvent and water.