Appeal No. 96-3169 2
Application No. 08/271,273
the reaction occurs under conditions that result in a combined level of difatty
ketones and $-ketoesters of 300 ppm or less. The second stage reaction conditions
include controlling the amount of an easily removable alcohol formed as a byproduct
of the transesterification reaction, a specific temperature and pressure range, a
specific mole ratio and sparging with an inert gas.
THE CLAIMS
Claim 1 is illustrative of appellants’ invention and is reproduced below.
$-ketoesters
of about 300 ppm or less in the resulting highly esterified polyol fatty acid
polyesters, and that result in at least about 96% of the hydroxy groups of the
polyol being esterified, said reaction conditions including:
(a) controlling the level of easily removable alcohol in the liquid phase of the
second stage reaction mixture to from about 10 to about 150 ppm; and
(b) heating the second stage reaction mixture to temperatures in the range of
from about 79.4°C to about 135°C and a pressure of from about 15 to about 100
mm Hg; and
(c) sparging with an inert gas; and
(d) keeping the molar ratio of fatty acid esters of easily removable alcohols to
each esterifiable hydroxy group of the polyol in the range of from about 0.91 to
about 1.4:1.
THE REFERENCE OF RECORD
As evidence of obviousness, the examiner relies upon the following
references.
Willemse 4,973,682 Nov. 27, 1990
Volpenhein 4,518,772 May. 21, 1985
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