Lewis Acid Induced Additions to Unsaturated Fatty Compounds

Unsaturated fatty compounds such as oleic acid, which are of interest as renewable raw materials, can be functionalized at the C,C-double bond by Lewis acid induced addition reactions. The products are branched and highly functionalized fatty compounds which may have interesting properties. SnCl 4 -induced additions of nitriles to methyl oleate and ethyl 10-undecenoate give the corresponding esters of the N-acylamino fatty acids. Alkylaluminium halide induced ene additions of formadehyde to unsaturated fatty compounds yield primary homoallylic alcohols.