U. Schuchardt et al., ALKYLGUANIDINES AS CATALYSTS FOR THE TRANSESTERIFICATION OF RAPESEED OIL, Journal of molecular catalysis. A, Chemical, 99(2), 1995, pp. 65-70
The transesterification of rapeseed oil with methanol has been studied
in the presence of eight substituted cyclic and acyclic guanidines an
d compared with unsubstituted guanidine. The catalytic activity of the
guanidines depends mainly on their intrinsic base strength. With a lo
ng alkyl chain on the guanidine, no lipophilic effect is observed. The
best catalyst found is commercial 1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0] dec-5-en
e which, when used at 1 mol%, produces a 90% yield of methyl esters wi
th 1 h of reaction time.