Abstract: Dimers of jojoba oil wax esters are prepared by reacting the wax esters in the presence of a catalytically effective amount of an acid catalyst in supercritical CO2. In the reaction, the double bonds of the wax esters are opened and cross link or polymerize two wax esters as dimers. The jojoba ester dimers which are produced are of the formula: wherein R1 and R1? are independently selected from the group consisting of C15-C23 monounsaturated hydrocarbons, R2 and R2? are independently selected from the group consisting of C8-C14 saturated hydrocarbons, and R3 and R3? are independently selected from the group consisting of C6-C8 saturated hydrocarbons.

Abstract: For the oligomerization of a fatty ester or fatty acid containing conjugated double bonds, the reaction uses a catalyst consisting of an activated earth, e.g., montmorillonite, at a temperature of from 100.degree.-180.degree. C., preferably from 130.degree.-160.degree. C. The process can be carried out continuously or in a batch process on a fixed bed and is particularly applicable to conjugated methyl esters obtained by conjugating and transesterifying sunflower seed oil. The oligomerized products obtained are particularly useful as lubricants or polycondensation reactants.

Abstract: The preparation of polyol compounds by (a) condensing glycerine in the presence of lithium compounds; (b) continuously distilling off the water produced by the reaction; (c) optionally subjecting the oligoglycerine mixture obtained to a transesterification reaction with fatty-acid glyceride esters. Such polyol compounds are suitable for use as starting materials in the production of polymers.