Technological Parameters of Epoxidation of Sesame Oil with Performic Acid

The course of epoxidation of sesame oil (SO) with performic acid formed „in situ” by the reaction of 30 wt% hydrogen peroxide and formic acid in the presence of sulfuric acid(VI) as a catalyst was studied. The most advantageous of the technological independent parameters of epoxidation are as follows: temperature 80°C, H2O2/ C=C 3.5:1, HCOOH/C=C 0.8:1, amount of catalyst as H2SO4/(H2O2+HCOOH) 1 wt%, stirring speed at least 700 rpm, reaction time 6 h. The iodine number (IN), epoxy number (EN), a relative conversion to oxirane (RCO) and oxirane oxygen content (EOe) were determined every hour during the reaction. Under optimal conditions the sesame oil conversion amounted to 90.7%, the selectivity of transformation to epoxidized sesame oil was equal to 93.2%, EN = 0.34 mol/100 g, IN = 0.04 mol/100 g oil (10.2 g/100 g oil), a relative conversion to oxirane RCO = 84.6%, and oxirane oxygen content of EOe = 5.5%.