Two steps ethanolysis of castor oil using sulfuric acid as catalyst to produce motor oil

Mixture of castor oil and sulfurc acid was heated in a three neck flask to about 80 degrees C, and then boiling ethanol was introduced into the reactor. After 60 minutes of processing, the experiment was stop and the glycerine formed was separated and the oil left was realcoholyzed in the same way as the first step. From the study it was obvious that the first and second steps of alcoholysis followed first order reactions, and the rate constants were affected by the catalyst concentration exponentially. The one step procces for 120 minutes converted only 60% of the glyceride, while the two steps alcoholysis could reach 82% conversion in 120 minute total time. Except for its viscosity, the liquid product approached the specification of diesel oil.