Synthesis of higher polyol fatty acid polyesters using carbonate catalysts
AssigneeThe Procter & Gamble Company
InventorRobert A. Volpenhein
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Abstract
An improved solvent-free transesterification process for producing polyol fatty acid polyesters is disclosed. In this process, a mixture of a polyol, a fatty acid methyl, 2-methoxy ethyl or benzyl ester, an alkali metal fatty acid soap, and potassium carbonate, sodium carbonate or barium carbonate as a catalyst is heated to form a homogeneous melt. To this melt is subsequently added excess fatty acid methyl, 2-methoxy ethyl or benzyl ester, yielding the desired polyol fatty acid polyesters.
Claims17
In a solvent-free transesterification process for synthesizing higher polyol fatty acid polyesters comprising the steps of:
- (1) heating a mixture of (a) a polyol selected from a group consisting of monosaccharides, disaccharides and sugar alcohols, (b) a fatty acid ester selected from the group consisting of methyl esters, 2-methoxy ethyl esters, benzyl esters, and mixtures thereof, (c) an alkali metal fatty acid soap, and (d) a basic catalyst, to a temperature of from about 110.degree. C. to about 180.degree. C. at a pressure of from about 0.1 mm of mercury to about 760 mm of mercury to form a homogeneous melt;
- and
- (2) subsequently adding to the reaction product of step (1) excess fatty acid ester selected from the group consisting of methyl esters, 2-methoxy ethyl esters, benzyl esters and mixtures thereof;
- the improvement wherein the basic catalyst is potassium carbonate.
A single-step solvent-free transesterification process for synthesizing higher polyol fatty acid polyesters, comprising the heating of a mixture of:
- (a) a polyol selected from the group consisting of monosaccharides, disaccharides and sugar alcohols;
- (b) an excess amount of fatty acid esters selected from the group consisting of methyl esters, 2-methoxy ethyl esters, benzyl esters, and mixtures thereof;
- (c) an alkali metal fatty acid soap;
- and
- (d) a catalytic amount of potassium carbonate;
- wherein the molar ratio of soap:polyol in said mixture is from about 0.75:1 to about 1:1;
- to a temperature of from about 110.degree. C. to about 180.degree. C. at a pressure of from about 0.1 mm to about 760 mm of mercury.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.