PRODUCTION OF ALKYL ESTER OF FATTY ACID

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make glycerol formed as a by-product migrate into an aqueous layer and produce the subject high-purity ester in high yield by adding water in the course of a reaction in the transesterification of an oil and fat with an alcohol. SOLUTION: When carrying out a transesterificaiton of (A) an oil and fat used as a raw material with (B) a catalyst and (C) an alcohol, water is added in the course of the reaction to make glycerol formed as a by-product migrate into an aqueous layer. The transesterification is further conducted to produce an alkyl ester of a fatty acid. The transesterification in the end of the reaction is preferably conducted after separating the layer of the glycerol formed as the by-product. Water is more preferably added to the reactional system to perform the transesterification at the end of the reaction when the total amount of triglycerides and diglycerides in the reactional mixture after the separation attains <=5 wt.%. The amount of water added to the reactional system at the end of the reaction is preferably 1-100 pts.wt. based on 100 pts.wt. of the layer of the alkyl ester of the fatty acid.