Abstract:
To study preparation of alkoxide intercalated Mg-Al layered double hydroxides (LDH) in order to expand interlayer spacing of metal hydroxide layers by exchanging interlayer anions with various alkoxides, including methoxide, ethoxide, isopropoxide and tert-butoxide. The physicochemical properties of the synthesized materials were characterized by means of powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric/differential thermal analysis (TG/DTA) and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Effects of type of alkoxide intercalating into the MgAl LDH structure on product yield and selectivity in transesterification of methyl laurate with glycerol to synthesize glyceryl monolaurin were investigated. The alkoxide intercalated MgAl LDHs catalyzed the reaction actively and selectively produce glyceryl monolaurin among which the butoxide intercalated MgAl LDH is the most active and selective catalyst, giving the monolaurin yield of 86.6% and the selectivily to monolaurin of 87.3% at the methyl laurate conversion of 99% under the suitable conditions, the molar ratio of glycerol/methyl laurate of 6, the catalyst mass of 4 wt.% base on the amount of methyl laurate, the reaction time of 3 h at 150℃.