TheesterificationoflauricacidwithmethanolcouldbeefficientlycatalyzedbyZrOCl2·8H2O,andthisreactionwasstudiedtodevelopagreenmethodforbiodieselproduction.Theinfluencingfactors,suchasamountofcatalyst,reactiontimeandmolarratioofacidtomethanol,wereinvestigated.TheresultsindicatedthattheZrOCl2·8H2Ocatalystshowedhighcatalyticactivity,andgavea97.0%methyllaurateconversionrateunderthefollowingoptimizedconditions,viz.:alauricacid/methanolmolarratioof1:10,acatalystdosageof4%,andareactiondurationof2hatmethanolrefluxingtemperature.Thecatalystcouldbeeasilyrecoveredwhileitsactivitycouldbewellretainedafterthreecycles.TheZrOCl2·8H2Ocatalystalsoexhibitedexcellentcatalyticactivityfortheesterificationofdifferentfreelong-chainfattyacids(includingnonedibleoilswithhighacidvalue)withdifferentshortcarbonchainalcohols.Therefore,theZrOCl2·8H2Ocatalysthasgoodpotentialforthesynthesisofbiodieselfromlow-costfeedstockssuchaswastevegetableoilsandnon-edibleoils.
