On Thu, 1 May 2003 03:46 pm, martin wrote: > paul van den bergen wrote: > >Can some one direct me to a definitive answer on the transesterification > >mechanism and in particular the role and nature of the catalyst? > > Paul, > There isn't a true catalyst in the reaction. The sodium methoxide which > is added is partially used up in the reaction. A true catalyst goes in a > cycle and is left to be used repeatedly. I could possibly get my sister > [BS Chemistry] to write about it. Try searching google.com for details, > I'm sure someone has a web page about the reaction.
coincidentally I just looked at an old org. chem book that mentions alkoxides as catalysts for transeserifitaction reactions (including fatty acids). very small section but interesting none the less. Will have top go check out the library here some day (er... next week?) -- Dr Paul van den Bergen Centre for Advanced Internet Architectures caia.swin.edu.au [EMAIL PROTECTED] IM:bulwynkl2002 "And some run up hill and down dale, knapping the chucky stones to pieces wi' hammers, like so many road makers run daft. They say it is to see how the world was made." Sir Walter Scott, St. Ronan's Well 1824 ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> Get A Free Psychic Reading! Your Online Answer To Life's Important Questions. http://us.click.yahoo.com/O10svD/Me7FAA/uetFAA/FGYolB/TM ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Biofuels list archives: http://archive.nnytech.net/ Please do NOT send Unsubscribe messages to the list address. To unsubscribe, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
