Optimization of epoxidation by using response surface methodology (RSM) based on three-level three-factorial central composite design (CCD) was used. Response percentage of relative oxirane content (%RCO) was studied to determine the optimum reaction condition for production of polyols. The predicted value of model (85 %) was excellent in accordance to experimental value (81 %). All parameters (temperature, molar ratio of formic acid to oleic acid and molar ratio of hydrogen peroxide to oleic acid) were significant in influencing the course of epoxidation reaction (p < 0.05). The interaction between all parameters is also highly significant with p < 0.0001. Optimum reaction conditions obtained from RSM were as follows: the temperature 318 K, molar ratio of formic acid to oleic acid 1.64:1 and molar ratio of hydrogen peroxide to oleic acid 2:1. The epoxidation of palm oleic acid was carried out by using in situ performic acid. FTIR analysis showed the formation of epoxy functional groups at optimum reaction condition at the wavelength of 1340 cm-1. This epoxide group was used to produce polyols by using hydroxylation process and the polyols functional group was detected at the wavelength of 816 cm-1

In recent years, research on the epoxidation of fatty acids has attracted a great deal of attention due to the increased need for eco-friendly epoxides generated from vegetable oils. The purpose of this research is to produce bio-lubricant from optimized epoxidized oleic acid by alcoholysis with methanol, tert-butyl alcohol, and ethanolamine. Epoxidation is carried out using in situ performic acid formation under a constant temperature of 60 °C where formic acid acts as an oxygen carrier and hydrogen peroxide acts as an oxygen donor. The determination of the optimum process parameters uses one factor at a time (OFAT) method and is based on the optimized process parameters until the maximum relative conversion to oxirane of 65% is achieved. The bio-lubricants are confirmed using the Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis and the results show that the hydroxyl group is present at 3400 cm−1 of wavenumber. A kinetic modeling is performed using the MATLAB optimization tool. After 100 iterations, the reaction rate constant based on optimized epoxidized dated palm oil production were obtained as follows: k 11 = 0.4251 mol⋅L−1⋅min−1, k 12 = 11.345 mol⋅L−1⋅min−1, and k 2 = 0.6761 mol⋅L−1⋅min−1.

This study investigates the influence of hydrothermal process conditions on the yield of terephthalic acid (TPA). Deionised water was employed as a green reaction medium substitute for acetic acid solvent widely used in the Amoco oxidation process for TPA production. Utilising the unique properties of water at elevated temperature and pressure, TPA was synthesised from p-xylene under subcritical (250 °C, 300 °C and 350 °C) and supercritical (400 °C) water conditions in a 10 mL micro-bomb batch reactor. Process conditions, including hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) oxidant concentrations, manganese bromide (MnBr2) catalyst and water loadings, were varied at a fixed reaction time of 60 minutes. The p-xylene conversion and TPA yield were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In addition, the presence of chemical functional groups and chemical compositions of the reaction products were examined using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS), respectively. It was found that an optimum TPA yield of 94.56% was observed at 350°C with hydrogen peroxide, deionised water and manganese bromide catalyst set at 1.5 mL, 2.5 mL, and 2 mL, respectively. Other major reaction products identified were p-tolualdehyde and 1,4-hydroxymethyl benzaldehyde.

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