491.    ----------------.[CHAUX, R.]  Germany Fatty Acids.  Production From Lignite.  Vol. 57, 1947, p. 542.

                 The production of fatty acids by I. G. at Oppau was, in general, similar to that by the Deutsche Fettsäure Werke at Witten-Ruhr, except that the latter worked with the Fischer Gatsch paraffins, while Riebeck paraffins were used at Oppau.  The latter were obtained from lignite pitch and TTH-paraffin, resulting from high-temperature hydrogenation of ligenite, as well as from synthetic paraffins obtained by the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis.  Output of synthetic fatty acids since 1937 amounted to 20,000 tons annually at Oppau, while Witten-Ruhr turned out double the amount.  The end products were mainly used in the manufacture of soap; only a few tons were used in experiments on the manufacture of margarine.  The price depended chiefly on that of the paraffins used.  During the war, Oppau produced fatty acids at 2 RM per kg. or twice that of fatty acids derived from natural fats.  After oxidation with air in presence of potassium permanganate, the fatty acids were distilled into 4 fractions and a residue, the latter being used for the manufacture of stove enamels, synthetic vaseline, etc.