The acid‐catalyzed addition of alkoxyl groups to the olefinic double bonds of soybean oil

The acid‐catalyzed reaction of soybean oil with the homologous series of straight‐chain alcohols: methyl, ethyl, n‐propyl, n‐butyl and n‐hexyl in a pressurized system yielded completely transesterified products and 18‐31% substituted alkyl ethers. Mass spectrometry of the hydrogenated methyl ester derivatives showed that the addition reaction occurred at one of three double bonds of the unsaturated fatty acids. The reaction with three secondary alcohols yielded only 0.1‐2.5% substituted alkyl ethers.