Method for preparing a fatty substance ester and use thereof in pharmaceutics, cosmetics or food industry

The process as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the solid catalyst is lanthanum oxide La2O3.

The process as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the solid catalyst is provided in a solid form chosen from the group consisting of powders, grains (pellets), beads, extruded forms and mixtures of these.

The process as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the solid catalyst is in the form of a powder with a mean particle size of between approximately 1 and approximately 1 000 micrometers.

The process as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that [lacuna] solid catalyst is supported on an inert support.

The process as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the solid catalyst is present in the reaction medium in a proportion of between approximately 0.01 and approximately 30% by weight with respect to the total weight of the reaction medium.

The process as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fatty substance comprises at least one optionally substituted, saturated or unsaturated, linear C7-C30 hydrocarbonaceous chain.

The process as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fatty substance is a fatty acid from at least one hydrogenated or nonhydrogenated vegetable oil.

The process as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the alcohol compound is chosen from the group of the sterols and stanols corresponding to the following general formula:

• 7
• in which the unsaturation marked by a dotted line in the 5-position corresponds to the unsaturation in the case of sterols and R represents a saturated or unsaturated and linear or branched hydrocarbonaceous chain comprising from 1 to 25 carbon atoms. In particular, R, is chosen from the group consisting of C1-C12 alkyl groups, C1-C8 alkoxy group, C2-C8 alkenyl groups, C2-C8 alkynyl group, C3-C8 cycloalkyl groups, halogenated C2-C8 alkenyl groups and halogenated C2-C8 alkynyl groups. The term “halogenated” denotes one or more halogen substituent, namely one or more chlorine, fluorine, bromine or iodine atom(s).

The process as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fatty substance:alcohol compound molar ratio is between approximately 0.5 and approximately 50.

The process as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the temperature of the esterification reaction according to the invention is between approximately 100 and approximately 400° C.

The process as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pressure is between approximately 0.05 and approximately 50 bar.