The catalyst used for the reaction is sodium methoxide. For
standardizing the concentration of methanol and sodium hydroxide,
several trials were done using a range of 5–25% methanol
and 0.5–1.5% NaOH. The methanol–alkali mixture was blended
by continuous gentle agitation at 700 rpm for 20 min. The alcohol–
alkaline solution was prepared freshly in order to maintain
the catalytic activity and to prevent the moisture absorbance.