Sintesis trigliserida rantai menengah melalui transesterifikasi gliserol dan asam-asam lemaknya
Authors: Prakoso Tirto , Hapsari Sarastri Cintya , Lembono Pilanda , Soerawidjaja Tatang H. 
Published: March 2020

Medium Chain Trigliceride (MCT) is a fat substitution which actually is an ester ofmedium ringfatty acid (C, - C,) from glycerol. MCT is not naturally available, so that MCT synthesis is needed. Hartman eta/ (1989) made MCT throught esterification with and without catalyst Zn and do the finishing of MCT product using vacum destilation. This study consisted of the application of Hartman's method to bring the esterification reaction with and without catalyst. The esterification reaction without catalyst performed at I70"C, in vacuum condition (P = 40 kPa) and in theflow ofN2 with ratio offatty acid to glycerol as much as 3,6: I for 8 hours. The cata/ized esterification reaction performed using Zn and H 0,catalyst at I50"C, in vacum condition (P = 40 kPa), with ratio offatty acid to glycerol as much as 3,3 : I and the reaction time was varied between 2- 8jam. The observed responds on every variation are glycerol conversion and MCT's yield. The highest glycerol conversion and MCT's yield has been obtained on the ester{fication reaction without catalyst in vacum condition and in reaction time of8 hours, gave value of I 00% and 97,80% respectively. At the reaction that using Zn catalyst, the highest glycerol conversion is reached in 4 hours as much as 99,26% and the highest MCT'yield is obtained in 8 hours as much as 97,70%. At the reaction using H 0 , catalyst, the highest glycerol conversion was reached in 6 hours as much as 99,74% and the highest MCT's yield was obtained in 2 hours as much as 97,86%Keywords: Esterification, Fatty Acids, MCT(Medium Chain Triglyceride) AbstrakMedium Chain Triglyceride (MCT) adalah pengganti lemak yang merupakan ester asam Lemak rantai menengah (C­6 – C12) dari gliserol. MCT tidak tersedia secara alamiah di alam sehingga diperlukan sintesis MCT. Hartman dkk (1989) membuat MCT melalui esteriftkasi tanpa katalis maupun dengan katalis Zn serta melakukan pemulusan terhadap produk MCT melalui distilasi vakum. Penelitian yang dilakukan meliputi penerapan metode Hartman untuk melangsungkan reaksi esteriftkasi tanpa katalis dan dengan katalis. Reaksi esterifikasi tanpa katalis dilakukan pada temperatur I70°C, dalam kondisi vakum (P = 40 kPa) maupun dalam pengaliran N2 dengan perbandingan asam lemak dan gliserol sebesar 3,6 : 1 selama 8 jam. Reaksi esterifikasi berkatalis dilakukan menggunakan katalis Zn dan H2SO4 pada temperatur I50°C, dalam kondisi vakum (P = 40 kPa), dengan perbandingan asam lemak dan glliserol sebesar 3,3 : 1 dan variasi lama waktu reaksi antara 2 - 8 jam. Respon yang diamati dalam setiap variasi adalah konversi gliserol dan perolehan MCT. Konversi gliserol dan perolehan MCT yang terbaik dicapai pada reaksi esterifikasi tanpa katalis dalam kondisi vakum dan waktu reaksi 8 jam, yaitu berturut-turut sebesar 100% dan 97,80%. Pada reaksi berkatalis Zn, konversi gliserol tertinggi dicapai pada waktu reaksi 4 jam yaitu sebesar 99,26% dan perolehan MCT tertinggi dicapai pada waktu reaksi 8 jam yaitu sebesar 97,70%. Pada reaksi berkatalis H2SO4, konversi gliserol tertinggi dicapai pada waktu reaksi 6 jam yaitu sebesar 99, 74% dan perolehan MCT tertinggi dicapai pada waktu reaksi 2 jam yaitu sebesar 97,86%. Kata Kunci : Asam lemak, Esterifikasi, MCT (Medium Chain Triglyceride)