Deoxygenation of triglycerides by silylation under exceptionally mild conditions

Efficient deoxygenation of lipids using hydrosiloxanes leads to polyunsaturated hydrocarbons.

The reduction or decarbonylation of triglycerides to form valuable olefins and alkanes normally requires extremely vigorous conditions. The direct deoxygenation of triglycerides under ambient conditions using hydrosiloxanes in the presence of B(C ₆ F ₅ ) ₃ occurs in high yield and without either reduction or migration of the alkene functional groups.