Decomposition products of Dimers Arising from Secondary Oxidation of Methyl Linoleate Hydroperoxides

Dimers formed in aerated methyl linoleate hydroperoxides were decomposed in liquid paraffin by bubbling with dry air at 30°C for 24 hr to identify the decomposition products. The aerated dimers were fractionated according to their molecular weights by gel permeation chromatography. Identification of the monomeric (25.6%) and low molecular fission products (10.8%) by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry showed the major monomers as methyl hydroxy-octadecadienoate, methyl hydroxy (or hydroperoxy)-epoxy-octadecenoate, methyl dihydroxy (or hydroperoxy)-octadecenoate, methyl trihydroxy (or hydroperoxy)-octadecenoate; and the major fission products as methyl 8-hydroxy-octanoate, 4-hydroxy (or hydroperoxy)-nonanal or -2-nonenal, methyl 12-oxo-9-hydroxy (or hydroperoxy)-dodecanoate or -10-dodecenoate, and methyl 11-oxo-9-undecenoate.

The monomeric products were presumed to be derived from alkoxy radicals generated by the cleavage of peroxy linkages in the dimers, whereas the low molecular products were suggested to be raised by the direct carbon-carbon scission of oxygenated ester moieties on both sides of the peroxy bonds.