Preparation of functionalized castor oil derivatives using solid acid and base catalysts

摘要

This invention relates to the development of processes for the preparation of functionalized castor oil derivatives namely ring-opened glyceryl ricinoleates, epoxy alkyl ricinoleates and ring-opened alkyl ricinoleates with tailorable properties from epoxidized castor oil as raw material using heterogeneous acid and base catalysts. More particularly, the invention employs two reaction chemistries namely ring-opening and transesterification using Amberlyst 15 as solid acid catalyst for the former and oxides derived from CaAl layered double hydroxide (CaAl-LDH) as solid base catalyst for the latter and combinations thereof. Furthermore, both the catalysts are reusable and the products are easily separable after the reaction by simple physical processes.