Method for preparing fatty acid esters and glycerine by transesterification of vegetable and animal

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The present invention describes a process for producing fatty acid esters and glycerin by the transesterification of vegetable and animal fats and oils with alcohols in the presence of a heterogeneous catalyst, which comprises oxides from the group of the rare earths in arbitrary proportions, excluding europium oxide. The catalyst may comprise a solid catalyst made of oxides of the rare earths in arbitrary proportions, a carrier catalyst made of oxides of the rear earths in arbitrary proportions on a carrier material, and a mixed oxide catalyst made of oxides of the rear earths in arbitrary proportions, and further oxides of elements that are not part of the group of the rare earths. The reaction temperature ranges between 20 and 350ºC. The methanol vapor pressure reaches an ambient pressure of up to 200 bar. The catalyst quantity is at least 0.1% of the initial triglyceride weight. The mass ratio between the alcohol and triglyceride is 0.1 : 1 to 10 : 1. The reaction duration is 0.1 to 24 hours. The alcohols used are short-chained mono-alcohols having 1 to 4 carbon atoms. The fatty acid esters that are formed and the glycerin are free of inorganic bases and the salts thereof. In addition, said catalysts enable the simultaneous esterification of the free fatty acids present in vegetable and animal fats and oils with alcohols. The field of use of said catalysts is in no way limited to the transesterification of vegetable and animal fats and oils and to the esterification of the fatty acids that are present. Said catalysts can be employed in a variety of ways for basic or basic/acidic, that is, amphoterically catalyzed reactions in the organic synthesis.