Catalytic transfer hydrogenation of soybean oil methyl ester using inorganic formic acid salts as donors

The hydrogenation of soybean oil methyl esters using aqueous formic acid salts solutions and heterogeneous palladium-on-carbon catalyst was investigated. Complete hydrogenation of the methyl ester was achieved by mixing a concentrated aqueous alkali formate solution with the methyl ester at 80 C in the presence of the catalyst (0.2–0.4% Pd). At the initial stages of the reaction, the selectivity was significantly higher than conventional hydrogenation (hydrogenation under pressure) performed with the same catalyste. Cis-trans isomerization was similar to the behavior of conventional techniques.