Preparation of 4,4-Dimethyloxazoline and Pyrrolidine Derivatives from Fatty Acid Methyl Esters Using Sodium Borohydride: Mild and Simple One-Pot Derivatization Procedures for a Gas Chromatographic–Mass Spectrometric Analysis of Fatty Acids

Procedures for preparing 4,4-dimethyloxazoline (DMOX) and pyrrolidine derivatives from fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) were modified to provide milder simpler conditions the derivatization reactions widely used in mass spectrometric analysis of acids. DMOX obtained overnight at room temperature presence sodium borohydride. The proposed method, involving a low-temperature condensation-cyclization FAME DMOX, allows direct preparation non-hydroxy, 2- 3-hydroxy esters. described simple one-pot procedures are “mild” alternatives existing methods, which require use elevated temperatures.