659.    DĂNĂILĂ, N., AND BOLTUS-GORUNEANU, M.  [Preparation of the Higher Fatty Acids From Mineral Oil and Paraffin by Oxidation With Air at Ordinary and at High Pressures With and Without Catalysts.]  Bul. Chim. Soc. Română Stiinte, vol. 31, 1929 pp. 133-200; British Chem. Abs., 1932, B, p. 790; Chem. Abs., vol. 24, 1930, p. 2282.

     Detailed review of the literature from 1855.  At ordinary pressure the oxidation of paraffin in the presence of Cu gave solid fatty acids, while mineral oil yielded only semisolid fatty acids resembling humic acids.  Only the acids from paraffin can have practical application.  Oxidation at ordinary temperature produces colored, malodorous byproducts and hydroxy acids, which diminish the value of the Na soaps.  Better yields, 53%, were obtained by repeating the oxidation of the paraffin at increased pressure in the Bergius bomb and still better, 75%, by threefold oxidation.  The fatty acids are colorless and odorless, and their molecular weights are not far from that of stearic acid.  The Na salts are solids that foam freely.  They could be employed in soap making.  Na salts of acids made from mineral oils are liquids that foam readily.  They could be employed as liquid soaps.  A preliminary treatment of the mineral oils for removing the unsaturated aromatic and naphthene hydrocarbons increases the yields of fatty acids.