Production lauric acid esterification

By the enzymatic esterification of diglycerol with lauric acid, the corresponding monolaurate ester is obtained [84]. This is an important industrial reaction for the cosmetic, pharmaceutical and feed industries, since this ester is used as biodegradable non-ionic surfactant. In recent years, the synthesis of this and other polyglycerols with fatty acids has attracted growing interest in industry, leading also to a demand for enantiomerically and isomerically pure products. 

This section deals with the conceptual design of a catalytic distillation process for the esterification of lauric acid (LA) with 2-ethyl-hexanol (2EtH). Laboratory experiments showed that a superacid sulfated zirconia catalyst exhibits good activity over a large interval, from 130 to 180 °C with no ether formation. On the contrary, the catalyst is sensitive to the presence of free liquid water. Raw materials are lauric acid and 2-ethylhexyl alcohol of high purity. The conversion should be over 99.9%, because the product is aimed at cosmetic applications. 

In the presence of an added catalyst such as p-toluenesulphonic acid, simple esterification reactions and polyesterification reactions are second order [48]. Thus the kinetics of the catalysed reaction of lauric acid and lauryl alcohol in a medium of lauryl laurate closely parallels those of the polymer-forming reaction between adipic acid and 1,10-dodecanediol in a medium of polyester product. Second-order rate coefficients for the two reactions were [35], respectively, 45x10 equiv kg" sec and 16 X 10" equiv kg" sec . 

The reaction of esterification of glycidol with lauric acid (Fig. 13) is known to occur in presence of a base or in presence of a Lewis acid. This reaction leads to the formation of monoglycerides, useful emulsifiers in most processed fatty or oily foods, as well as in cosmetic and pharmaceutical products. However, the nucleophilic attack of the oxygen atom of the carboxylic function whether rai the a-C or p-C of the epoxide can produce two isomers. Generally the selectivity of the reaction reflects preferred a position... 

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