Behavior of hydrogenation catalysts. I. Hydrogenation of soybean oil with palladium

A statistical method for evaluation of catalysts was used to determine the behavior of palladium catalyst for soybean oil hydrogenation. Empirical models were developed that predict the rate,trans-isomer formation, and selectivity over a range of practical reaction conditions. Two target iodine value (IV) ranges were studied: one range for a liquid salad oil and the other for a margarine basestock. Although palladium has very high activity, it offered no special advantage intrans-isomer formation or selectivity. Palladium can substitute for nickel catalyst, at greatly reduced temperature and catalyst concentrations, for production of salad oil or margarine basestock from soybean oil. Presented at the AOCS meeting, Chicago, May 1983.