Triglycerides

Anyone knows a naturally existing reducing agent? Or a better idea than mine...?

Making soap from animal fat on my farm with K2CO3 (ash water), giving fatty acids. My plan is to take half the amount of fatty acid and treat it with a reducing agent to give a primary alcohol (not a terminal carbonyl). Reacting this with the other half would synthesize alkyl ester (candle wax)! 2 triglyceride + (xs) K2CO3 → 6 fatty acids 3 fatty acids + R. AGENT → 3 alcohol chains 3 fatty acids +3 alcohol chains → wax! From what can I extract or synthesize a strong reducing agent. I needs to be readily available..(like in the wood, NOT in a mining cave 1km under crust, NOT from the urine a wakitashi only living on Taolirilo island...) something I can growth or (if its coming from an animal source) that I can raise. Not certain of the above reaction, inform me of any problems. Alkyl ester has a relatively high m.p. (10-20C over RT) but, I don’t know if the degree of unsaturation will affect it. What are the side reactions and by-products? Any other relevant informations

Public Comments

1. wtf this is all complicated physics stuff i dont even want to read through.....maybe its cuz i'm still in junior high...........hmmmmmm......................
2. A much simpler way of making candles is to let the heated liquid fat cool and solidify around a wick. You can add perfumes just as you would with the soap for a more pleasant odor.