Abstract
Nitrogen dioxide at 100 ppm in air greatly accelerated the oxidation of methyl esters of linoleic and linolenic acid in both non-aqueous and aqueous systems. Nitrogen dioxide stimulated oxygen uptake, conjugated diene formation and increase in the peroxide value of methyl linoleate and methyl linolenate. The products formed from methyl linoleate were identified as four isomeric hydroperoxides ; the ratio of the amounts of the isomers was similar to that of the hydroperoxides formed by autoxidation. No nitrogen-containing products were formed. The products formed from methyl linolenate were identified as eight isomeric hydroperoxides that were also formed by autoxidation.
