R ECENTLY PASCHKE AND WHEELER(5) studied the cyclic monomer obtained on polymerization of a 10% solution of mixed methyl eleostearates in methyl laurate at 250°C. for 48 hrs.Following our earlier work on the thermal dimer of methyl fl-eleostearate (1), we examined the cyclic monomer. From our previous investigations we had concluded that it was important in thermal polymerization studies to keep the reaction conditions as mild as possible, in order to minimize secondary changes. For this reason the cyclic monomer was separated from material which had only been heated at 180 ° for 4~ hrs.Experimental Preparation of Methyl fl-Eleostearate Cyclic Monomer. Methyl fl-eleostearate (m.p. 12.4 to 13.6°),E~m.-----1,850 in ethanol at 268 m~, was prepared by esterification from the acid, m.p. 71 °, with p-toluenesulfonic acid as catalyst2 Some 115 g. of this ester were heated in a sealed evacuated ampoule for 41~ hrs. at 180 °. Monomeric material (69 g.) was separated by repeated passages through a falling-film molecular still at 105 °. A solution of 66.2 g. of this distillate in 50 ml. of methanol was added at 40 ° to a solution of 330 g. of urea in 1,500 ml. of methanol. After 24 hrs. at room temperature the precipitate (which on decomposition with water gave 37.0 g. of oil) was filtered off, and the filtrate was concentrated to 800 ml. After two days the precipitate (which on decomposition with water gave 10.5 g. of oil) was removed, and the filtrate was concentrated to 500 ml. This solution was left at 5 ° over-night, and the precipitate was filtered off. On treatment with water the latter afforded 0.55 g. of oil. The filtrate, after removal of urea and methanol, gave 11.2 g. of ester. On distillation in a small falling-film molecular still at 105 °, this material yielded 10.0 g. of cyclic monomer, or 9% based on the original eleostearate. Its ultraviolet spectrum, which is shown in Figure l(a), is very different from that recorded by Pasehke and Wheeler (5). It had the following properties: Number of double bonds (Adams' catalyst in ethanol)~ 2.00 (cale. 2.00); C ~77.42% (calc. 78.03%); H 11.32% (cale. 11.04%).
Conversion of the Cyclic Monomer to OrthophthalicAcid. Four grams (0.0134 mole) of this cyclic monomer were refluxed with 2.45 g. of N-bromosueeinimide (0.0134 mole) in 30 ml. of cal:bon tetrachloride for 3 hrs. The solution was cooled, and the solid succinimide (1.27 g.) was filtered off. The filtrate was evaporated under vacuum, and the residue was heated with 5 ml. of redistilled diethylaniline at 130 ° under nitrogen for 1 hr. to dehydrobrominate the diene to the benzene derivative. When cooled, the mixture set semi-solid. Water and hexane were added, and the ~Ester prepared from the acid by treatment with diazomethane in ether had E~c~.z 1,980, m.p. 14.0-15.1 °. Pure ester should have E~,,.= 2,060 based on E~n. = 2,161 for the acid (4).