Identification and distribution of epoxyacyl groups in new, natural epoxy oils.

New high-epoxy vegetable oils from nine species representing three plant families and four genera have been investigated. The epoxyacyl moiety in at least one oil from each genus was characterized and shown to be the (+)-vernoloyl (cis-12,13-epoxy-cis-9-octadecenoyl) group. Intraglyceride distribution studies revealed a general preference of the (+)-vernoloyl groups for the beta-position of triglyceride molecules. Interglyceride distribution of (+)-vernoloyl groups was studied in three oils and found not to agree with predictions based on either 1,2,3-random or 1,3-random-2-random distribution. A striking exception to the general intraglyceride distribution pattern was discovered in the monoepoxy triglyceride fraction fromEuphorbia lagascae seed oil.