New route for preparing palmitic acid imidazole from free fatty acid using imidazole

In this study, imidazole was used for the first time in esterification of free fatty acid (FFA) from acidic oil and for palmitic acid imidazole production. The FFA content in jatropha oil mixed with crude palm oil (CPO) was significantly reduced from 10.57% to 1.73% under the following optimum conditions (25% imidazole dosage, 30 mins of reaction time, reaction temperature at 60 degrees C and methanol to oil molar ratio of 20:1). This research opens up new possibilities for utilizing imidazole as a catalyst in various esterification processes, offering a promising and eco-friendly pathway for industrial applications.

Automated summary

This study first used imidazole for esterification of FFA in acidic oil and successfully produced palmitic acid imidazole. Under the optimal conditions, the FFA content in mixed oil was significantly reduced, offering a promising and eco-friendly pathway for industrial applications.