Determination of the disproportionation products of limonene used for the catalytic hydrogenation of castor oil

The direct determination by GC-MS analysis of the products from the limonene disproportionation obtained from the catalytic hydrogenation of castor oil is not possible since a transesterification of the oil is required before injection. Therefore, a method for the determination of those products is proposed here: a solid-phase microextraction (SPME) followed by GC-MS. With the optimization of SPME it was possible to isolate a great number of products of the disproportionation of limonene used as hydrogen donor in the catalytic hydrogenation of castor oil by Pd/C. This system also proved to be appropriate to monitor castor oil hydrogenation by following and identifying the limonene disproportionated products. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.