Low temperature partial alcoholysis of triglycerides.

Egg triglycerides chromatographed on silicic acid are eluted in a skew curve in which fatty acid composition varies. The triglycerides were cleaved by sodium methoxide in chloroform-methanol at 0 degrees C to yield diglycerides (11.3%) and monoglycerides (17.5% of original triglycerides) after 3 min. Complete cleavage to fatty acid methyl esters and glycerol was obtained at 18 min at 0 degrees C or 5 min at room temperature.