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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #102049
Title: SYNTHETIC MODIFICATION OF OLEOCHEMICALS IN CRITICAL FLUIDS

Author
item King, Jerry
item ANDERSSON, MAGNUS - STOCKHOLM UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: Supercritical Fluids International Symposium
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/10/1999
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The density dependent solvation properties of critical fluid media coupled with the acceleration of reaction rates at higher pressures create a number of interesting synthetic opportunities for producing oleochemicals from natural feedstocks. Previously we have shown the general applicability of biocatalysis using lipases in the presence of supercritical carbon dioxide to synthesis esters, mixed glyceride compositions, and randomized oils for industrial utilization. These studies have recently been extended to include hydrogenation conducted under supercritical, but dilute density conditions, using binary mixtures of hydrogen with carbon dioxide and propane. Somewhat unique and extensive apparatus have been constructed to optimize the hydrogenation of soybean oil methyl esters in a flow reactor. The methyl ester production proceeds rapidly with complete reduction to saturated alcohols at 250 deg C, 25 mole% hydrogen, 150-250 atm; using conventional catalysts in the flow reactor. Increased production of alcohols is realized by utilizing hydrogen propane mixtures, but at the expense of increased levels of side product (alkanes). This supercritical fluid reaction (SFR) has been recently coupled with an enzymatic synthesis of soybean oil fatty acid methyl esters in a tandem SFR SFR system to provide a complete synthesis under critical fluid conditions of the saturated alcohols from the vegetable oil feedstock.