Main Page | See live article | Alphabetical index Oleochemical are chemicals derived from biological oils or fats.They are analogous to petrochemicals which are chemicals derived from petroleum. The hydrolysis or alcoholysis of oils or fats from the basis of the industry and use the same oleochemical general formula: RCOOCH2-CHOOCR-RCOOCH2 + RŽOH --> RCOORŽ-RCOORŽ-RCOORŽ + CH2OH-CHOH-CH2OH (bio-oil or fats) + RŽOH -->(Fatty acids or esters) + Glycerol The hydrolysis of the triglycerides composing oils and fats produces fatty acids and glycerol. In hydrolysis RŽ= H. So water (H2O) is added. RCOOCH2-CHOOCR-RCOOCH2 + H2>O --> RCOOH-RCOOH-RCOOH + CH2OH-CHOH-CH2OH If oils or fats are made to react with an alcohol instead of with water, the process is alcoholysis and the product are fatty acid esters and glycerol. In alcoholysis RŽ= alkyl group. So alcohol is added RCOOCH2-CHOOCR-RCOOCH2 + CnH2n+1OH --> RCOOCnH2n+1-RCOOCnH2n+1-RCOOCnH2n+1 + CH2OH-CHOH-CH2OH This article is from Wikipedia. All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.