On the kinetics of the autoxidation of fats: substrates with conjugated double bonds

This paper provides a kinetic evaluation of rate data on the oxidation of conjugated linoleic acid methyl esters published by Kern et al. almost 50 years ago. The results of the kinetic analysis suggest that the oxidation of pure substrates with conjugated double bonds in bulk starts with carbon-oxygen cross-linking causing oligomerization (degree of polymerization approximate to 3). The reaction then proceeds with simultaneous oligomerization and formation of monomeric cyclic peroxides. The oligomerization was described by the empirical equation used previously for oleate and linoleate, which was modified by adding a power term. In contrast to the case of linoleate, hydroperoxides are only minor products in the oxidation of methyl-conjugated linoleate suggesting that micelle formation does not play a significant role in this oxidation.