Saturated fatty acid methyl esters from acetate to arachidate, methyl oleate, linoleate, linolenate, and erueate have been prepared in high purity. Densities, refractive indices, dispersions, ultrasonic sound velocities, and dielectric constants have been measured in the liquid state at 20 and 40C. In this first communication, the densities of the saturated compounds have been correlated with the Smittenberg relation. The following relations were derived: d~ ~ = 0.85407 + 0.18494/ (n + 0.096) and d4~ ~ = 0,84225 + 0.12904/(n-0.408). Molar volumes have been computed and checked for additivity.

The ultrasonic sound velocity of the unsaturated fatty acid methyl esters from acetate to nonadecanoate, methyl oleate, linoleate, linolenate, and erucate have been measured at 20C and 40C in the liquid state. Data of the saturated compounds were correlated with the Smittenberg relation and a reasonable fit was noted. The molar sound velocity according to Rao was computed from the observed values and increments for the CH2 group and for the double bond are presented.

Kinematic viscosities at 20C, 40C and at 70C have been measured for methyl oleate, linoleate, linolenate, erucate, and for the saturated fatty acid methyl esters acetate through nonadecanoate. Using a recently developed dynamic viscositytemperature criterion, log (1.200 + log 7) = A --S log (1 + t/135), the viscosity-temperature behavior of the saturated compounds could be characterized by one single parameter. J Present addres.s: Chevron Research Co., Richmond, Galif. 433. 433

No abstract