Acidic Synthesis of the Esters of Fatty Acids and Long-Chain Alcohols

Present research aimed to develop a method for synthesizing long-chain alcohol esters of fatty acids in high product yields and low excess of alcohol using available components and a catalyst. All samples were obtained under similar conditions: the molar ratio of the fatty acid and the corresponding alcohol was 1/1.1 mol/mol using p-toluenesulfonic acid as a catalyst. The cyclohexane was used to remove water. The esterification of oleic and stearic acids with linear alcohols C5-C22 and non-linear (isomeric and cyclic structure) alcohols C5-C8 was carried out in conversions above 99.5%. The alcohols did not line up in a chain length-dependent manner.