Transesterification of soybean oil (TSO) with methanol to methyl esters (biodiesel) was found to proceed in the presence of KOH loaded on aluminosilicate layers (bentonite, kaolinite), microporous materials (zeolite Y, clinoptiloite), mesoporous materials (MCM-41, Al-MCM-41), some oxides (Al(2)O(3), TiO(2), SiO(2)), and silica gel as heterogeneous catalysts. Effect of reaction parameters such as KOH wt.%, amount of catalyst, reaction time, reaction temperature, molar ratio of methanol to oil and TSO yields up to 99% will be discussed in this presentation. Utilization of bentonite and kaolinite as cheap and eco-friendly solid supports is promising. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.