Synthesis and Evaluation of Aliphatic Hydroxy Carboxylates as Low Hygroscopic Brake Fluid Components.

The report covers thirty aliphatic hydroxy carboxylate compounds which were synthesized as possible low hygroscopic brake fluid components. The compounds were evaluated in terms of water pick-up, rubber swelling, viscosity and boiling point. These brake fluid properties were related to such structural parameters as molecular weight, chain length, branching, size of ester function and the number of carbons intervening between the hydroxyl group and the ester function. Hydrogen bonding in these esters is discussed. Gross infrared spectra are included for reference and identification purposes.