Synthesis of Vegetable Oil Polyols by using Reactions Involving Ester Groups

1 Synthesis of Vegetable Oil Polyols by using Reactions Involving Ester Groups 

The main way to transform a vegetable oil into a polyol is by using reactions involving ester groups such as transesterification and transamidation reactions. 

By the transesterification of an unsaturated triglyceride (for example soybean oil) with glycerol, a mixture of monoglycerides (majority), diglycerides and triglycerides of unsaturated fatty acids (reaction 17.12) is obtained [50]. 

COOH = fatty acid = fatty acid rest (C6-C22) 

Fatty acid Carbon atoms Number of double bonds Formula 

---