The directed rearrangement reaction in solvents of partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil was investigated with special reference to the influence of polarity of solvents and amount of trisaturated glycerides formed. The results as obtained by selective enzymatic hydrolysis, gas liquid chromatography and infrared spectrophotometry of the whole fat triglycerides and of the corresponding monoglycerides of cottonseed oil and partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil, before and after directed interesterification, indicate a general trend of the increase of the saturated fatty acyl radicals in the 2‐position of the glyceride moiety with the corresponding decrease of the unsaturated acids. The considerable decrease in the concentration of cis unsaturated acid in the 2‐position of the triglycerides of partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil has been observed after the directed rearrangement reaction with the simultaneous enrichment of trans unsaturated acid. It was also observed that cottonseed oil does not show any plasticity, whereas after directed interesterification it shows remarkable plasticity. The plasticity of partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil is further diminished after directed rearrangement reaction. Copyright © 1979 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim