METHOD FOR PRODUCING FATTY ACID ALKYL ESTER, AND DIESEL FUEL

摘要

Disclosed is a method for producing a fatty acid alkyl ester, wherein a fatty acid alkyl ester having a low clouding point, pour point and clogging point, which is not solidified at low environmental temperatures, can be produced with high purity and high conversion ratio by a process that places only little burden on the environment at low cost.  Also disclosed is a diesel fuel produced by the production method. Specifically disclosed is a method for producing a fatty acid alkyl ester, which is characterized by carrying out, in the presence of an alkali metal salt of phosphoric acid, a transesterification reaction between an alcohol having 1-4 carbon atoms and a fat or oil which contains a higher saturated fatty acid having 14 or more carbon atoms at a compositional ratio of 40% by mole or less, said higher saturated fatty acid containing palmitic acid and stearic acid, with the total compositional ratio of palmitic acid and stearic acid being 30% by mole or less.