Patent ID: 6887283

Claim:
A process for producing alkyl esters useful in biofuels and lubricants, the process comprising: providing an organic composition comprising at least one component selected from the group consisting: providing a critical fluid medium including at least one fluid selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, methane, ethane, propane, and mixtures thereof; dissolving the organic composition and either a C 1 -C 4 short chain alcohol or water into the critical fluid medium; reacting the organic composition with the short chain alcohol or water in the presence of a catalyst in a single phase to produce a final product comprising an alkyl ester and glycerol, wherein the glycerol leaves the single phase as it is formed; separating the glycerol from the alkyl ester; and separating the alkyl ester from the critical fluid medium, wherein the particular critical fluid medium is selected so that, when combined with the organic composition, the critical fluid medium provides decreased loss of catalyst or catalytic activity and elimination of mass transfer limitations by maintaining the various reactants in a single phase.