for the acrolein and cinnamaldehyde adducts and (6H) for crotonaldehyde adduct for the methyl hydrogens. In addition to the above the cinnamaldehyde adduct gave peaks at 6.7 ppm (5H) for phenyl. rig. 5. YMK spectra of the Uzels-Alder adducts isolated from the reaction products of acrolein, crotonaldehyde and cinnamaldehyde with methyl esters of isomerized and elaidinized safflower oil fatty acids taken in carbon tetrachloride -.U i s c u s s i o n The maximum yields of the Diels-Alder adducts with acrolein, crotonaldehyde or cinnamaldehyde are 40.2, 44.2 and 52.2 per cent respectively. The comparatively high yield (52.2 O/o) of cinnamaldehyde adduct may be due to the further activation of the double bond by the adjacent phenyl ring. Use of two moles of dienophile/ mole of methyl linoleate, carrying out the reaction at elevated temperature (21Oo-24O0 C) and prolonged reaction times usually favour the adduct formation along with a corresponding increase in the formation of polymeric and other materials (Experiments 1 1 , 28 and 37). With acrolein use of benzene favoured the formation of Diels-Alder adduct (Experiment 11). It is clear from the results that in all the experiments the methyl linoleate has not completely taken part in the Diels-Alder reaction. Prolonged reaction times resulted in the formation of higher percentages of the polymer without substantial increase in the Diels-Alder adducts. Elaidinization of the fatty acid ester is essential to obtain satisfactory yields of the adduct. When compared to the yield of the Diels-Alder adduct from acrylic, crotonic or cinnamic acids' (max. yield, varied from 57 to 64 O/o) the yields of the adducts from the corresponding aldehydes are less (max. yield varied from 40-52"/0). A c k n o w l e d g m e n t This research has been financed in part by grant from USDA under PL-480. The authors gratefully adcnowledge the help and advice of Dr. M . A. Sivasamban, Principal Investigator of this project.