PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF POLYOXYETHYLENE SORBITAN FATTY ACID ESTERS

摘要

The invention provides a process for the production of polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters which are little bitter just after the production and the bitterness of which little increases even after the lapse of time. A process for the production of polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters which comprises reacting an ester (component A) of a fatty acid having 10 to 22 carbon atoms with a monohydric alcohol having 1 to 3 carbon atoms with at least either (component B) of sorbitol and sorbitan to form a sorbitan fatty acid ester and conducting addition reaction of the sorbitan fatty acid ester with ethylene oxide to form a polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid ester, characterized by comprising the following steps (a) to (d): step (a) of providing the component (B) in the form of a 50 to 90wt% aqueous solution to mix the component (B) with the component (A) and then dehydrating the resulting system to a water content of the system of 1.0wt% or below based on the total weight of the components (A) and (B); step (b) of adding 1 to 10wt% of a monohydric alcohol having 1 to 3 carbon atoms and 0.1 to 1.0wt% of an alkali catalyst based on the total weight of the components (A) and (B) at 50 to 90°C; step (c) of conducting transesterification under a nitrogen stream at a reaction temperature of 140 to 190°C to form a sorbitan fatty acid ester; and step (d) of conducting addition reaction of the sorbitan fatty acid ester with ethylene oxide at a reaction temperature of 70 to 130°C.