Patents

The invention discloses an improved process for preparing fatty acid esters with 100 mol% selectivity suitable as biodegradable lubricant base oils, comprising contacting a fatty compound with an alcohol in presence of a solid, Phosphonate catalyst having molecular formula: M(X)2-nYn.mH2O where X refers to phenyl phosphonate, Y refers to HPO42- or HPO32-, M refers to a metal or metalloid ion preferably taken from the group consisting of Zr, Zn, Cd, Al, Sn, La and Ce, the value of n varies from 0.2 to 1.8 and the value of m varies from 0 to 5, wherein the fatty compound is a fatty acid or fatty acid methyl or ethyl ester or vegetable oil or animal fat or their mixture thereof and alcohol is a monohydric alcohol with 6 to 22 carbon atoms or a polyol with at least two hydroxyl groups.