Stabilized fatty acids

Claim 3

A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said phosphorus compound is selected from the group consisting of polyphosphoric acid, phosphorus oxychloride, phosphorus pentoxide and inorganic phosphorus salts selected from the group consisting of potassium monohydrogen phosphate and potassium dihydrogen phosphate.

Claim 4

A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said polyalkylene alcohol is selected from the group consisting of alcohol ethers which have the formula R.sub.1 --OR.sub.2 --.sub.X OH where R 1 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C 1 to C 4 straight or branched chain alkyl, phenyl, cresyl, ethyl phenyl and mixtures thereof and R 2 is selected from the group consisting of ethylene, propylene, isopropylene, butylene and mixtures thereof and X is a number from 1 to 30.

Claim 5

A method in accordance with claim 3 wherein X is a number from 1 to 10.

Claim 6

A method in accordance with claim 3 wherein X is a number from 1 to 6.

Claim 7

A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said polyalkylene alcohol is selected from the group consisting of di-, tri-, tetra- and penta-ethylene glycol mono-phenyl ether, di-, tri-, tetra- and penta-ethylene glycol mono-cresyl ether, di-, tri-, tetra- and penta-ethylene glycol mono-(ethyl-phenyl) ether, the propylene, isopropylene and butylene equivalents of the foregoing ethylene glycol phenyl ethers and mixtures thereof.

Claim 8

A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said polyols have a carbon chain length of C 2 to C 6 .

Claim 9

A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said polyols are selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, glycerol, pentaerythritol, 1,5-pentanediol, 1,3-butanediol, 1,4-butanediol, 2,3,-butanediol, 1,2,4,-butanetriol, 4-methyl 2,4 pentanediol, 1,6,-hexanediol, 2,5,-hexanediol, erythritol, xylitol, arabitol, adonitol, sorbitol, mannitol, galactitol, inositol, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 10

A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said alkali metal salt of said condensation reaction product contains from about 5 to about 15 percent by weight, dry basis, of phosphorus and from about 10 to about 30 percent by weight, dry basis, of alkali metal.

Claim 11

A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said alkali metal is selected from the group consisting of potassium and sodium.

Claim 12

A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said alkali metal is potassium.

Claim 13

A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said stabilizer is added to said fatty acid at a level of from about 0.005 to about 0.05 percent by weight dry basis, based on the weight of the fatty acid.

Claim 14

Stabilized fatty acids comprising a fatty acid having a chain length of C 6 to C 24 and an effective amount sufficient to inhibit oxidation of a stabilizer, said stabilizer being an alkali metal salt of an organic phosphate ester, said ester being the condensation reaction product of an alcohol and a phosphorus compound, said phosphorus compound being in the pentavalent state during said condensation reaction, said alcohol being selected from the group consisting of poly-alkylene alcohols and hydrocarbyl polyols.

Claim 15

Stabilized fatty acids comprising a fatty acid having a chain length of C 6 to C 24 and an effective amount sufficient to inhibit oxidation of a stabilizer, said stabilizer being an alkali metal salt of an organic phosphate ester, said ester being the condensation reaction product of an alcohol and a phosphorus compound, said phosphorus compound being in the pentavalent state during said condensation reaction, said alcohol being selected from the group consisting of poly-alkylene alcohols and hydrocarbyl polyols.

Claim 16

Stabilized fatty acids in accordance with claim 13 wherein said phosphorus compound is selected from the group consisting of polyphosphoric acid, phosphorus oxychloride, phosphorus pentoxide and inorganic phosphorus salts selected from the group consisting of potassium monohydrogen phosphate and potassium dihydrogen phosphate.

Claim 17

Stabilized fatty acids in accordance with claim 13 wherein said polyalkylene alcohol is selected from the group consisting of alcohol ethers which have the formula R.sub.1 --OR.sub.2 --.sub.X OH where R 1 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C 1 to C 4 straight or branched chain alkyl, phenyl, cresyl, ethyl-phenyl and mixtures thereof, and R 2 is selected from the group consisting of ethylene, propylene, isopropylene, butylene and mixtures thereof and X is a number from 1 to 30.

Claim 18

Stabilized fatty acids in accordance with claim 15 wherein X is a number from 1 to 10.

Claim 19

Stabilized fatty acids in accordance with claim 15 wherein X is a number from 1 to 6.

Claim 20

Stabilized fatty acids in accordance with claim 13 wherein said polyalkylene alcohol is selected from the group consisting of di-, tri-, tetra- and penta-ethylene glycol mono-phenyl ether, di-, tri-, tetra- and penta-ethylene glycol mono-cresyl ether, di-, tri-, tetra-, and penta-ethylene glycol mono-(ethyl-phenyl) ether, the propylene, isopropylene and butylene equivalents of the foregoing ethylene glycol phenyl ethers and mixtures thereof.

Claim 21

Stabilized fatty acids in accordance with claim 13 wherein said polyols have a carbon chain length of C 2 to C 6 .

Claim 22

Stabilized fatty acids in accordance with claim 13 wherein said polyols are selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, glycerol, pentaerythritol, 1,5-pentanediol, 1,3-butanediol, 1,4-butanediol, 2,3,-butanediol, 1,2,4,-butanetriol, 4-methyl 2,4-pentanediol, 1,6-hexanediol, 2,5,-hexanediol, erythritol, xylitol, arabitol, adonitol, sorbitol, mannitol, galactitol, inositol, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 23

Stabilized fatty acids in accordance with claim 13 wherein said alkali metal salt of said condensation reaction product contains from about 5 to about 15 percent by weight, dry basis, of phosphorus and from about 10 to about 30 percent by weight, dry basis, of alkali metal.

Claim 24

Stabilized fatty acids in accordance with claim 13 wherein said alkali metal is selected from the group consisting of potassium and sodium.

Claim 25

Stabilized fatty acids in accordance with claim 13 wherein said alkali metal is potassium.

Claim 26

Stabilized fatty acids in accordance with claim 13 wherein said stabilizer is present at a level of from about 0.005 to about 0.05 percent by weight, dry basis, based on the weight of the fatty acid.