two reference compounds on the cetane scale show that CN decreases with decreasing chain length and increasing

branching. However, branched esters derived from alcohols such as iso-propanol have CN that are competitive with methyl or other straight-chain alkyl esters. Thus, one long straight chain suffices to impart a high CN even if the other moiety is branched. Branched esters are of interest because they exhibit improved low-temperature properties (Knothe et al., 2003). Disadvantages of the branched esters are the higher price of the alcohol and the changes needed in the transesterification process yielding the branched esters. Unsaturation in the fatty acid chain was again the most significant factor causing lower cetane numbers (Knothe et al., 2003).The more