Novel Full Hydrogenation Reaction of Methyl Esters of Palm Kernel and Sunflower Oils Into Methyl Stearate Catalyzed by Rhodium, Ruthenium and Nickel Complexes of Bidentate Hexasulfonated o-Phenylendiphosphite Ligands

High catalytic activities (TOF = 8680 h −1 ) have been achieved by novel rhodium catalysts modified with the chelating sulfonated phosphite ligand hexasulfonated o -phenylendiphosphite in the hydrogenation reaction of renewable methyl esters of sunflower oil under mild reaction conditions and a low rhodium concentration of 50 ppm in methanol. Graphical Abstract