Process for producing ester through transesterification with solid acid catalyst

Abstract

It is an object of this invention to provide a method for producing an ester by a transesterification reaction in which the reaction can be stably performed in a short time at a pressure approximately equal to normal pressure. The ester is produced by a transesterification reaction in which a starting material ester and an alcohol are brought into contact with a solid acid catalyst that displays the characteristics of a very strong acid in terms of the absolute value of argon adsorption heat ranging from 15 to 22 kJ/mol. In particular, it is preferable that the starting material ester in a liquid phase and alcohol in a vapor phase be brought into contact with the solid acid catalyst, and that the starting material ester be oil or fat, and the alcohol be methanol or ethanol.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.