FIELD: food and pharmaceutical industries. SUBSTANCE: compounds with two, three or more ethylenically unsaturated (polyunsaturated) binds are separated from compounds with less unsaturability or without it by contacting mixture of said compounds with liquid extracting agent which is selective for polyunsaturated compounds, extracting agent containing polyunsaturated compounds is contacted with immiscible extracting agent which dissolves polyunsaturated compounds and separates generally polyunsaturated compounds from extracting agent. Extracting agent is then recycled. Extracting agent is solution of metal ion capable of forming π-complex with polyunsaturated compounds in sulphone. Said method is continuous, efficient and makes it possible to prepare products of high quality and purity. EFFECT: more efficient separation method. 10 cl, 6 ex
