Epoxidation of Jatropha (Jatropha curcas) oil by peroxyacids

Jatropha (Jatropha curcas) oil with iodine value 104 g I(2)/100 g, and containing 44.7% oleic acid and 31.4% linoleic acid, was epoxidised in situ with hydrogen peroxide (30%) and acetic/formic acid in the presence of catalytic amounts of sulphuric acid. We have compared the kinetics of epoxidation of jatropha oil (JO) by peroxyacetic and peroxyformic acids, in or without toluene at 30, 50, 70, and 85 degrees C. The effects of temperature and various mole ratios on epoxidation rate, oxirane ring stability, and iodine value of the epoxidised oil were studied, and optimum conditions were established. The rate constants for epoxidation of JO were found to be in the range 0.22-69.4 x 10(-6) Lmol(-1).s(-1) and activation energies were found to be 64.46 KJ.mol(-1), 72 KJ.mol(-1), 59 KJ.mol(-1), 68.24 KJ.mol(-1), for peroxyacetic and peroxyformic acids in or without toluene, respectively. (C) 2009 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.