Question #6f5ea
1 Answer
Jan 25, 2015
Palm oil can be used to develop biodiesel which is called palm oil methyl ester.
Palm Oil Plantation
(https://gadflyketch.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/oil-palm-plantation-vl(dot)jpg)
The process involves transesterification which is when an alcohol and ester exchange R groups to form a different alcohol and ester:
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transesterification#mediaviewer/File:Transesterification(dot)png)
Notice the R' group in the alcohol was exchanged with the R'' group in the ester!