Catalyzed Reaction with Vegetable Oil: Nucleophilic Addition of Alcohols to Soy Epoxide

Abstract

The epoxidation of soybean oil at temperature of 60°C was provided the best result in terms of attaching the  –OH functionality. Temperatures below and above 60°C it is likely the attaching reaction did not proceed sufficiently fast. The considerable yield below 40%, implies the oil is not completely converted, it is not possible by conventional methods, because the epoxide decomposes at the temperature required.  The objective of this work was  the development of  catalyst toward the  conversion  of epoxide and polyol with reaction temperature at 50,60, and 70°C. The influence of different type of catalyst were studied, the effect of alcohols with different molecular configuration was determined which leads to selective addition of alcohols to the epoxide oils.