An experiment suitable for organic chemistry students is described. Biodiesel, a “green” fuel, consists of methyl or ethyl esters of long-chain fatty acids called FAMES ( f atty a cid m ethyl es ters) or FAEES ( f atty a cid e thyl es ters). A quick way to make FAMES is a base-catalyzed transesterification of oils or fats derived from plants or from animal sources. This experiment utilizes a safe, convenient basic catalyst, K 2 CO 3, anhydrous methanol, and any of several sources of oil to make biodiesel in 20–25 min. Only simple apparatus is required and the product floats on the top of the byproducts. IR spectroscopy, thin-layer chromatography, or relative viscosity are used to evaluate the product.
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Behnia et al. (2011) studied this question.
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