ARS | Publication request: Synthesis and Evaluation of a Series of Oleate Derivatives As Potential Biodiesel Value-Added Products

Submitted to: Annual Meeting and Expo of the American Oil Chemists' Society
Publication Type: Abstract
Publication Acceptance Date: March 1, 2006
Publication Date: April 30, 2006
Citation: Moser, B.R., Erhan, S.Z. 2006. Synthesis and evaluation of a series of oleate derivatives as potential biodiesel value-added products [abstract]. 97th American Oil Chemists' Society Annual Meeting and Expo. p. 76-77.

Technical Abstract: The relatively poor cold-flow properties of biodiesel present a major obstacle to the development of mono-alkyl esters of vegetable oils and animal fats as alternative fuels. This work concentrates on the additive approach to improving the cold weather operability of biodiesel. A series of alkyl esters were prepared from technical grade oleic acid in an effort to explore their cold-flow behavior. Not surprisingly the more substituted oleate esters (such as isopropyl and isobutyl) exhibited the most desirable cloud and pour points. Conversion of the most promising candidates to their corresponding epoxides, followed by treatment with a variety of alcohols in the presence of acid catalyst provided a series of alpha-hydroxy ethers, which yielded moderate improvement in the cloud and pour point values over the alkyl oleates.