Heterogeneous catalysis for sustainable biodiesel production via esterification and transesterification

Concern over the economics of accessing fossil fuel reserves, and widespread acceptance of the anthropogenic origin of rising CO2 emissions and associated climate change from combusting such carbon sources, is driving academic and commercial research into new routes to sustainable fuels to meet the demands of a rapidly rising global population. Here we discuss catalytic esterification and transesterification solutions to the clean synthesis of biodiesel, the most readily implemented and low cost, alternative source of transportation fuels to meet future societal demands

Chemical modifications of ricinolein in castor oil and methyl ricinoleate for viscosity reduction to facilitate their use as biodiesels

Castor beans contain large quantities of oil and can grow in harsh environments. Unlike soybean oil, castor oil cannot be directly used for biodiesel production due to its extremely high viscosity. Here, we report an alternative source of biodiesel which possesses an ideal viscosity like soybean oil, and this new biodiesel could be obtained through simple synthetic routes from castor oil. Moreover, the properties of our newly designed ketone-containing triglycerides and its transesterified counterpart as biodiesel were systematically examined in our study, and their structures were characterized by using 1H NMR and 13C NMR. Practical application: The product obtained has the potential to be utilized as an alternative biofuel.MOE (Min. of Education, S’pore)Accepted versio