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Transesterification is an organic reaction in which the organic group R′′ of an ester is exchanged with another organic group R′ of an alcohol according to a mechanism called alcoholysis. In this compilation, the authors address the way the transesterification process has become widely popular in biodiesel production, on an industrial scale, by reaction of triglyceride with short-length alcohol (methanol and/or ethanol). Next, Jatropha curcas Linnaeus, a non-edible raw material, is discussed as an attractive alternative for biodiesel production. The heterogeneous acid catalysis of this second-generation raw material is examined, including the mechanisms of esterification of fatty acids and transesterification of the triacylglycerides present in Jatropha curcas L. oil. In biodiesel generation, the transesterification reaction is the main process used for vegetable oils, animal fats, waste cooking oil or micro/macroalgae. Thus, the authors propose that catalysts such as acid and base or enzymes should be used to improve the rate of production. The closing portion of this collection reviews the use of transesterification reactions within laboratory courses of environmental and sustainable chemistry programmes for undergraduate chemistry students over the past 15 years. The authors propose that in the future, these experiments should be revised to include discussions of process sustainability and illustrations of life-cycle analysis approaches to bio-fuel production.

The chemistry of cyclic b-ketoesters has received considerable attention because they serve as highly important intermediates in many organic synthesis. The wide application of these compounds in organic synthesis, depends chiefly on the reactivity of the methylene group, and the ready hydrolysis of the ester group, and its substituted derivatives to carboxlic acids and ketones. The syntheses and reactions of cyclic b-ketoesters are reviewed in a formal way.

Carboxylic Ortho Acid Derivatives: Preparation and Synthetic Applications discusses the principal classes of ortho acid derivatives and their preparation, properties, and reactions. The book is a critical survey and attempts to collate literature regarding the wide array of information on ortho acid derivatives to be of use to chemists studying different sorts of problems. The text is divided into seven chapters, where Chapter 1 begins with a discussion of the general concepts of carboxylic ortho esters, their synthesis, and properties. Chapters 2 to 4 tackle reactions of ortho esters that result to different bonds and bond formations such as (a) carbon-oxygen and carbon-halogen bond, (b) carbon-nitrogen or carbon-phosphorus, and (c) carbon-carbon or carbon-hydrogen bond formation. Chapter 5 discusses the synthesis, properties, and applications of carbohydrate ortho esters. Related compounds and their properties, preparation, and chemical transformations are the topic of Chapters 6 and 7. Some of these compounds are trithioorthocarboxylates, tetrathioorthocarbonates, and amide acetals. The book is a valuable reference to students or anyone else interested in chemistry.