Triflate-catalyzed (trans)esterification of lipids within carbonized algal biomass.

This study demonstrates the utility of rare-earth metal triflate catalysts (i.e., Sc(OTf)(3) and In(OTf)(3)) in the (trans)esterification of oleic acid as well as the lipids contained within carbonized algal biomass using ethanol in the presence of water.