Transesterifikaation
Transesterifikaation, also known as transesterification, is a chemical reaction in which an ester exchanges its alkoxy group with another alcohol, yielding a different ester and a new alcohol. The reaction is widely used to modify ester structures and to convert fats, oils, or esters into more useful esters. It can be catalyzed by acids or bases and proceeds via nucleophilic acyl substitution.
Mechanism: In base-catalyzed transesterification, an alkoxide species attacks the carbonyl carbon of the ester, forming a
Applications: The most prominent industrial use is production of biodiesel, where triglycerides from fats or oils
Other uses: Transesterification is also employed in polymer chemistry to exchange ester groups between molecules, enabling
Overview: The reaction is central in renewable fuel production and in ester chemistry. Catalyst choice, feedstock