Addition of an azido group to epoxidised fatty acid methyl esters of Jatropha curcas by epoxy cleavage

Abstract

Azidohydrin was synthesized from the seed oil of Jatropha curcas by use of simple chemical reactions. This entailed first, transesterification of the seed oil of J. curcas to produce the fatty acid methyl esters, epoxidation of the fatty acid methyl esters to form the epoxides, then azidation of the epoxidised fatty acid methyl esters. The yield of the azidation reaction was 93.60 %, and the distribution of azide and alcohol functionality on the fatty acid was approximately random. The reactants and products were monitored and confirmed by FTIR and NMR spectroscopy.