Abstract: A process is disclosed for preparing fatty acid esters of short-chain monohydric aliphatic alcohols or monoalkylated diols by basically catalyzed esterification of natural, partially or totally synthetic fatty acid glycerides, as well as fatty acid glyceride-based waste products, such as used frying oils. The process is characterized in that the unpurified fatty acid glycerides, containing in particular high proportions of free fatty acids and phosphatides, (a) are esterified in one or several steps in the presence of a basic catalyst with an excess of short-chain alcohol or monoalkylated diol; (b) the glycerin phase produced after the first esterification step is at least partially added to the second or following step, after sterification has been carried out, and the mixture is stirred; (c) the glycerin phase is again separated, the supernatant fatty acid ester is cleared of excess alcohol or diol, then treated with a possibly diluted organic or anorganic acid, and if necessary filtered.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the production of the fatty acid esters of lower monovalent alcohols by transesterification of fatty acid glycerides in the presence of basic catalysts. The process according to the invention is characterized in that the transesterification is carried out in the presence of 0.025 to 0.045 mols of an alkali or alkaline earth metal compound, preferably sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, sodium or potassium alcoholate, based on 100 g of fatty acid glyceride and the subsequent purification of the fatty acid esters is effected by the addition of 0.3 to 3.0 percent of water by hydration and separation of the catalyst residues and other impurities.

Abstract: Process and catalyst for the selective catalytic hydrolysis of the inorganic sulfur compounds COS and/or CS.sub.2 being present in CO containing process gases. The process gas is passed over an alkalized chromium oxide-aluminum oxide catalyst in the presence of H.sub.2 O.