Synthesis of palm oil-based fatty methylhydrazide

Fatty methylydrazides (FMHs) have been successfully synthesized from palm oil. Glycerol was produced as a by-product. The synthesis was carried out by reflux palm oil with methylhydrazine in hexane. FMHs have been characterized using elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance technique. The results showed that a 6:1 molar ratio of palm oil to methylhydrazine, a round 78 % maximum conversion of palm oil into FMHs and a 10 h reaction time are the optimum reaction conditions. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.