Esterification of oleic acid with glycerol in the presence of sulfated iron oxide catalyst

Esterification of oleic acid with glycerol was investigated in view of the reaction kinetics, using “superacidic” sulfated iron oxide catalysts. A series of different sulfate contents were prepared and characterized by a multitude of techniques prior to their use as catalysts. The sulfated iron oxide reaction was carried out with equivalent amounts of reactants in the temperature range of 180–240°C. Effects of the sulfate content and the catalyst amount on reaction kinetics at different temperatures were evaluated.