ARS | Publication request: Products Derived From Lesquerella Oil

Submitted to: Association for the Advancement of Industrial Crops Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: October 14, 2006
Publication Date: October 14, 2006
Citation: Cermak, S.C., Isbell, T., Deppe, A.B., Lowery, B.A., Dewey, K.B. 2006. Products Derived From Lesquerella Oil [abstract]. Association for the Advancement of Industrial Crops Conference. P. 85.

Technical Abstract: Lesquerella fendleri is a member of the Brassicaceae (mustard) family. Lesquerella is a winter annual seed oil crop native to the desert southwestern United States, and is currently undergoing an intensive research effort for its successful introduction into agriculture. Lesquerella produces a small seed that has 25-30% oil that contains 55-64% hydroxy fatty acid. The hydroxy fatty acids of lesquerella are lesquerolic (55-60%, 14-hydroxy-cis-11-eicosenoic acid) and auricolic (2-4%, 14-hydroxy-cis-11-cis-17-eicosenoic acid). The distribution of TG is 10% nonhydroxyacyl, 15% monohydroxyacyl and 73% dihydroxyacyl, which indicates that lesquerella oil is essentially a difunctional triglyceride in terms of hydroxy functionalities. The objective of this study was to develop industrial products with lesquerella oil or fatty acids as a starting material. In the past, estolides have been used to develop new products from industrial crops. Estolides from lesquerella have been synthesized with two different methods, either 200 degrees Celsius from the fatty acid or 130 degrees Celsius using a tin catalyst from the fatty acid or the triglyceride. Estolides derived from lesquerella and castor 2-ethylhexyl esters with different saturated and unsaturated fatty acids were synthesized. These fatty acid estolides produced a series of functional fluids with excellent cold temperature properties having pour points <-53 degrees Celsius. As well, the triglyceride estolides were synthesized from the hydroxy moieties of lesquerella and castor oils with oleic and saturated fatty acids. These triglyceride estolides also produced a series of functional fluids with excellent cold temperature properties having pour points <-36 degrees Celsius. These estolides underwent further chemical modifications to produce a new potential industrial fluid. Many new and useful products and applications have been developed for lesquerella oil and fatty acids.