Selective hydrogenation of sunflower oil over supported precious metals

Selective hydrogenation of ethyl esters of traditional sunflower oil was carried out at low temperature (40 deg C) in the presence of supported monometallic catalysts containing noble metals Pd, Pt or Ru. The palladium catalysts prove to be the most active, but isomerisation is quite important. The selectivity in cis C18:1 ester was improved by the modification of the palladium catalysts by copper and lead, or by addition of amines into the reaction medium.