Succinic Anhydrides Functionalized Alkenoic Ligands: A Facile Route to Synthesize Water Dispersible Nanocrystals

The unsaturated fatty acid maleinization reaction was adopted according to the well documented procedures of synthesizing the alkenyl succinic anhydrides (ASA) that are often used in industry (i.e. for paper sizing agents and cutting fluids lubricants) . For monounsaturated fatty acid such as oleic acid, 13 times of maleic anhydride to oleic acid molar ratio are recommended to obtain high yield of maleinized oleic acid adducts . Typical maleinization of oleic acid reaction is carried out under inert static nitrogen gas condition without the presence of any solvent or catalyst. There were several reported reaction conditions whereby xylenes [1c] and transition metal [3] solvent/catalyst were used to improve the yield of the maleinization reaction. For our proposed applications whereby maleinization reaction is combined with thermolysis reactions, the presence of other solvent or catalyst would complicate the overall synthesis reactions. Thus, in this report, we do not consider any addition of catalyst.