Project Report on Cardanol From C.N.S.L. (Cashewnut Shell Liquid) [EIRI-1436]

Cardanol oil, a renewable raw material well known by product of the cashew industry, has been used as the starting material for the synthesis of novel fulleropyrrolidines cardanol based. In this work, cardanol has been used as building block for the preparation of target cardanol based precursors obtained by the way of the convenient transformation of the functional groups  (aromatic ring, -OH group or the double bonds of the side chain) of the cardanolic structure. Pure 3-n-pentadecylphenol and its derivatives having homogeneous chemical composition, used as the precursor of any fulleropyrrolidines, have been prepared by hydrogenation of the un-saturated side chain and subsequent alkylation of the aromatic ring of cardanol. The reactivity of olefinic double bond present in the side-chain which can undergo easy transformation i.e. oxirane formation as well as metathesis reactions affording various interesting fulleropyrrolidines is also described. Cashew nut shell liquid or oil obtained by heat treatment contains about 10% cardol and about 90% cardanol (a vessicant oil liquid) resulting from decarboxylating anacordic acid and its polymers. Formerly, a moister product of the cashew kernel industry in southern India, Cashew nut shell oil has become a valuable raw material in the manufacture of many  industrial product.