Abstract
The photo-dimerization reaction of methyl β-eleostearate was studied as a new method for the dimerization of unsaturated fatty acid methyl esters. When irradiated with light of high pressure mercury lamp, methyl β-eleostearate was observed to form dimer in solution in n-heptane. Examination of kinetic data obtained showed that the disappearance of the eleostearate is in nearest agreement with a first order reaction. It was therefore suggested that the photo-dimerization in n-heptane proceeds by the conversion of the eleostearate into its excited molecule by illumination with light. Furthermore, from the photo-dimerization experiment by monochromatic radiation, it was found that illumination with light of wave length about 274±30mμ of methyl β-eleostearate in n-heptane gives dimer.
