NOVELTY - A modified natural compound (A1) synthesized from at least one epoxidized natural fatty acid, maleated natural fatty acid, epoxidized natural oil, and/or maleated natural oil; and at least one lactam compound having at least one hydroxyl group, is new.    USE - As modified natural compound, useful for preparing a composition selected from adhesive, aerosol, agricultural, beverage, carrier system, cleaning, coating, detergent, drug, emulsifier, encapsulation, food, lithographic, membrane, lubricant, oilfield, personal care composition comprising skin, color cosmetic, hair/styling, hair/non-styling, sun, or oral care composition; pharmaceutical/nutritional, paint, pigment dispersion, solubilizer, and stabilizer composition (claimed), inks, and mining and oilfield compositions. The personal care compositions include face care composition, lip care composition, eye care composition, foot care composition, nail care composition, deodorant composition, antiperspirant composition, skin cleaning composition, insect repellant composition, shaving composition, toothpaste, mouthwash, tooth whitener, tooth stain remover, and hygiene composition.    ADVANTAGE - The modified natural compounds provide materials that are renewable, natural, and biodegradable; and have different and controllable chemical, physical, and/or mechanical properties; such that limitations found in unmodified natural and epoxidized/maleated natural oils are minimized or eliminated. It is found that despite renewability, biodegradability, sustainability, and beneficial functions provided by natural fatty acids, natural oils and their epoxidized/maleated counterparts; such as both the epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) and maleated soybean oil are insoluble and non-dispersible in water or alcohols. As a result, these fatty acids and oils may tend to exude or phase-separate from formulated compositions. The modified natural compounds are have properties useful in wide variety of compositions e.g. unlike naturals oil, some of the modified natural oils may be dispersible or soluble in water and/or alcohols, making them easier to formulate in wide variety of compositions. The modified natural compound is soluble in organic alcohol; where the solubility of modified natural compound in organic alcohol (preferably 1-10C alcohol, especially 1-5C alcohol, particularly methanol or ethanol) is at least 5 wt./wt.%. The modified natural compounds can be formed with multitude of possibilities to impart wide range of final properties to modified natural oil, such as exhibit wide variety of hydrophilic-to-hydrophobic balance, even within one molecule. Such functionality can improve performance of modified natural compound, especially with regard to various chemical, physical, and/or mechanical properties, such as solubility, dispersibility, glass transition temperature, flexibility, miscibility with other ingredients, and/or solubilization potential for active ingredients. As additional benefit, many of the modified natural compounds have biodegradability. Many of the starting reactants for the production of modified natural compounds such as fatty acids, triglycerides, and oils themselves are biodegradable. The various modifications may maintain or even enhance biodegradability. This feature can lend the modified, natural compounds to compositions, markets, and uses, where biodegradability is considered e.g. in personal care compositions, coatings, inks, paints, lubricants, products for agriculture, and mining and oilfield compositions.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - A modified natural compound (A1) synthesized from at least one epoxidized natural fatty acid, maleated natural fatty acid, epoxidized natural oil, and/or maleated natural oil; and at least one lactam compound having at least one hydroxyl group, in which the hydroxy-containing lactam modifying group is of formula (I), is new.    Y'=2-50C alkylene, or 2-50C alkenylene;    Q'=alkylene, and/or arylene (both optionally functionalized, and optionally containing O atom(s));    R'=(cyclo)alkyl, alkenyl, or aryl (all optionally functionalized, and optionally containing heteroatoms), or H.    2 to 4 Carbon atoms reside in the lactam ring between the -C(=O)-group and the -CH(R')- group.