Abstract:
Nitrate compounds from coconut oil could be synthesized by nitration of coconut fatty acid diglyceride and coconut fatty acid monoglyceride in the presence of concentrated nitric acid and concentrated sulfuric acid using dichloromethane as a solvent. They were synthesized by transesterification of coconut oil with glycerol along with lead oxide catalyst. The nitrate compounds obtained (diglyceride mononitrate, monoglyceride dinitrate and mixed nitrate; diglyceride mononitrate and monoglyceride dinitrate in ratio 1:1 by mol, of coconut oil) were identified by spectroscopic techniques, such as infrared spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The nitrate compounds could be easily blended with base diesel fuel. They were effective in increasing cetane number to 3.2, 3.9 and 3.7 units at the concentration of 2.5 %wt, respectively. These synthesized nitrate compounds are not as effective in improving the cetane number in comparison with 2-ethylhexylnitrate. The cetane numbers of base diesel fuel were increased by 3.3 units at concentrations of 0.1% by weight