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Abstract The depletion of oil reserves and their price and availability volatility raise researchers’ concerns about renewable resources for epoxidized material. This study aims to produce in situ and ex-situ hydrolyzed dihydroxy stearic acid via the epoxidation of neem oil. Epoxidized neem oil was synthesized using in situ-generated performic acid. The Taguchi method was employed to optimize hydrolysis, aiming for maximum production of dihydroxystearic acid. The Taguchi method’s signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio analysis identified optimal conditions for producing dihydroxy stearic acid with a maximum hydroxyl value of 129.4 mg KOH/g: (1) water/neem oil molar ratio of 2:1, (2) water addition time of 90 min, and (3) reaction stop time of 120 min. ANOVA revealed the significant order of parameters as reaction stop time > water addition time > water/neem oil molar ratio. Lastly, a mathematical model was developed using MATLAB, applying the fourth-order Runge–Kutta method and simulated annealing optimization to determine the best-fitting kinetic model. This research aids in transforming neem oil into a value-added product, reduces petroleum dependence, and provides key insights into reaction kinetics for industrial applications.

Abstract Epoxides were primarily derived from petroleum-based sources. However, there has been limited research on optimizing the process parameters for epoxidized palm oil-derived oleic acid, resulting in its underutilization. Therefore, this study aimed to optimize the catalytic epoxidation of palm oleic acid concerning the oxirane content by applying ion exchange resin as a catalyst. Epoxidized oleic acid was produced using in-situ-formed performic acid by combining formic acid as the oxygen carrier with hydrogen peroxide as the oxygen donor. The findings revealed that the optimal reaction conditions for producing epoxidized oleic acid with the highest oxirane content were an Amberlite IR-120 catalyst loading of 0.9 g, a molar ratio of formic acid to oleic acid of 1:1., and a molar ratio of hydrogen peroxide to oleic acid of 1:1.1. By employing these optimal conditions, the maximum relative conversion of palm oleic acid to oxirane was achieved at 85%. The reaction rate constants (k) based on the optimized epoxidized oleic acid are determined as follows: k11 = 20 mol L−1 min−1, k12 = 2 mol L−1 min−1, and k2 = 20 mol L−1 min−1. The findings validated the kinetic model by showing good agreement between the simulation and experimental data.