Acid Molar Ratio Research Articles

Optimization of process variables for esterification of bio-oil model compounds by a heteropolyacid catalyst

In this work, the catalytic upgrading of a bio-oil model compound via esterification with ethanol was studied using 12-tungstosilicic acid as the catalyst. The response surface method was used to investigate and optimize the process variables, which include the ethanol to acid molar ratio, catalyst loading, reaction temperature, and reaction time for maximum conversion of the organic acid for esterification under atmospheric conditions. The effect of high He pressure on acid conversion for esterification was also studied. The maximum acid conversion was almost 90%, which can be achieved at reaction temperature of 77 °C, ethanol to acid molar ratio of 5:1, catalyst loading of 4.0% w/w, and reaction time of 8.3 h. Pressurizing the reaction with inert He did not have any effect for acid conversion at this optimum condition and had a slight negative effect under the studied conditions. After upgrading, the esterified products were found to improve the heating value from 17.6 to 23.2 MJ/kg and appeared to enhance fuel properties.

Enzymatic synthesis of fatty acid esters of trehalose: Process optimization, characterization of the esters and evaluation of their bioactivities.

One-pot synthesis of caprylic, lauric and palmitic acid mono- and diesters of trehalose was catalyzed by the lipase Fermase CALB™ 10000. An optimized molar conversion of 35% of trehalose to its palmitate esters was obtained in acetone at 60°C with a trehalose:palmitic acid molar ratio of 1:5 in 4h. Trehalose fatty acid esters (THFAE) were purified by column chromatography and characterized using TLC, HPTLC, HR-MS, ATR-FTIR, and differential scanning calorimetry. THFAE were studied for their antimicrobial potential against four bacterial, and two fungal species. Trehalose monolaurate and trehalose dicaprylate demonstrated MIC of 0.45mM and 16mM against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli, respectively. Trehalose monocaprylate showed the highest inhibition of biofilm forming property against Staphylococcus aureus (86.25%) at 99.2mM and trehalose dipalmitate had lowest IC50 of 13.23mM. Furthermore, their anti-inflammatory property was studied in vitro using 15-LOX inhibition assay and human red blood cell membrane stabilization assay. In the confirmatory in vivo tests using carrageenan-induced rat paw edema assay, inflammation in disease control group reached up to 63% as against 32% and 20% for trehalose dilaurate and diclofenac treated groups, respectively. THFAE can hence find potential applications in pharmaceuticals, functional foods, and nutraceuticals.

Metal‐Free Ring‐Opening Alternating Copolymerization of Epoxides and Cyclic Anhydrides Mediated by a Ternary Phosphazene Base and Carboxylic Acids

AbstractOrganocatalytic, metal‐free ring‐opening alternating copolymerization (ROAP) of epoxides and cyclic anhydrides to produce polyesters with well‐defined alternating structure remains a challenge despite several organocatalysts having been reported. Herein, the ROAP of cyclohexene oxide (CHO) with phthalic anhydride (PA) using a series of carboxylic acids as initiator in the presence of an organic cyclic trimetric phosphazene base (CTPB) as catalyst is reported. The molar ratio of CTPB to carboxylic acid is proven to be crucial to obtain polyester with well‐defined alternating structure without formation of polyether homopolymer. The effects of carboxylic acid, temperature and feed molar ratio on monomer conversions and resultant molecular weights of poly(PA‐alt‐CHO) are systematically investigated. This work enriches the opinion of initiator for the ROAP of epoxides and cyclic anhydrides.

Preparation of Chloromethylated Pitch–Based Hyper–Crosslinked Polymers and An Immobilized Acidic Ionic Liquid as A Catalyst for the Synthesis of Biodiesel

Hyper-crosslinking polymers and its immobilized acid ionic liquid catalyst were prepared using cheap pitch, as a monomer, through hyper-crosslinking reactions and allyl chloride, as a chlorine source, for chloromethylation and further grafting with imidazole and functionalizing with sulfonic acid. The polymers were characterized by FE-SEM, FTIR, TG, and nitrogen sorption. The grafting ratios of the chloromethylated pitch-based hyper-crosslinked polymer (HCPpitch–CH2–Cl) and immobilized acid ionic liquid [HCPpitch–Im–Pros][Tos] were 3.5 mmol/g and 3.0 mmol/g, and the BET specific surface areas were 520 m2/g and 380 m2/g, respectively. This strategy provides an easy approach to preparing highly stable and acid functionalized mesoporous catalysts. The immobilized acidic ionic liquid was used as a catalyst for the esterification of oleic acid and methanol to synthesize biodiesel. The results demonstrated that under the optimal conditions of an alcohol to acid molar ratio of 7:1, ionic liquid to oleic acid molar ratio of 0.12, and a reaction time of 3 h at atmospheric pressure, the yield of methyl oleate can reach up to 93%. Moreover, the catalyst was reused five times without the yield decreasing significantly. This study shows that [HCPpitch–Im–Pros][Tos] is a robust catalyst for the synthesis of biodiesel.

Esterification of linoleic acid using HZSM-5 zeolites with different Si/Al ratios

Abstract Microporous HZSM-5 zeolite crystals of distinct Si/Al ratios (53, 33.3 and 14.4) were compared for linoleic acid esterification with methanol as a model reaction for the production of biodiesel. As-synthesized catalytic materials were characterized using XRD, SEM, TEM, N2 sorption, X-Ray fluorescence, FTIR, and 27Al MAS NMR. The results showed that HZSM-5 with higher acidity and lower Si/Al ratio achieved high linoleic acid conversions at earlier stages of the reaction, whereas more hydrophobic zeolites reached higher conversions as reaction time increased. A maximum methyl linoleate yield of 79.78% was achieved for the esterification of linoleic acid using HZSM-5 (Si/Al = 53) at 4 h reaction time, 6:1 methanol to linoleic acid molar ratio, 10 wt% catalyst loading and 180 °C. Linoleic acid is activated by being adsorbed on the acid sites of the zeolite surface with increased Si/Al ratios and reacts to form the corresponding methyl ester.

A cleaner enzymatic approach for producing non-phthalate plasticiser to replace toxic-based phthalates

Dioctyl phthalate (DOP) is industrially commonly used as a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plasticiser. As DOP does not form a chemical link with PVC, it migrates from flexible PVC segments into the media in contact, a matter that arose concerns due to its noxious effect. Despite the introduction of several non-DOP-based plasticisers recently, most of these new plasticisers are petroleum derived, which is a non-renewable resource. Accordingly, this research aims to produce a natural-based plasticiser using clean production method. Epoxidised 2-ethylhexyl oleate (E-2-EHO) was produced through an esterification and epoxidation reaction between oleic acid and 2-ethyl hexanol; both reactions occur simultaneously, in the presence of hydrogen peroxide as oxygen donor in a solvent-free environment. Candida antarctica lipase (Novozym 435) was used as a cleaner biocatalyst. Several reaction parameters that affect the synthesis of (E-2-EHO) were analysed using response surface methodology based on full factorial central composite design for four variables. The maximum experimental conversion was 94.2% while the value of the predicted conversion was 95.3%. The operation conditions were a temperature of 65 °C, enzyme load of 4 wt%, alcohol-to-oleic acid molar ratio of 4:1, hydrogen peroxide-to-C=C molar ratio of 0.5:1, molecular sieve/g acid of 0.425 g and reaction time of 2 h. In addition, the plasticising effectiveness of (E-2-EHO) to substitute toxic DOP was studied. Comparison with conventional DOP highlighted that (E-2-EHO) had superior and significantly reduced glass transition temperature (tg) and improved mechanical properties. In the proposed study, (E-2-EHO) was proved to be an efficient substitute to DOP by replacing up to 80% of the total plasticiser. Moreover, the product yield obtained in a short time reaction along with the proven stability of Novozym 435 during operation both showed that this ecofriendly and maintainable alternative is favourable when used in large-scale applications.

Enzymatic synthesis of structured triacylglycerols rich in 1,3-dioleoyl-2-palmitoylglycerol and 1-oleoyl-2-palmitoyl-3-linoleoylglycerol in a solvent-free system

Structured triacylglycerols (TAGs), rich in 1,3-dioleoyl-2-palmitoylglycerol (OPO) and 1-oleoyl-2-palmitoyl-3-linoleoylglycerol (OPL), were prepared by enzymatic acidolysis of fractionated palm stearin with free fatty acids. The effects of enzyme type, substrate molar ratio, enzyme load, temperature, and reaction time on the yields of OPO and OPL, palmitic acid (PA) content at the sn-2 position of TAG, and the percentage of PA at the sn-2 position relative to total PA content were investigated. Under optimal reaction conditions (palm stearin/oleic acid/linoleic acid molar ratio of 1:8:4, lipase NS 40086 loading of 8%, 60 °C, 4 h), the combined yields of OPO and OPL was 69.26%, PA content at the sn-2 position reached 87.75%, and the relative percentage of PA at the sn-2 position was up to 71.07%. The synthesized TAGs have potential to be used in infant formulas.

Efficient sulfated high silica ZSM-5 nanocatalyst for esterification of oleic acid with methanol

Abstract The high silica ZSM-5 nanocatalyst was synthesized by hydrothermal technique and modified through the sulfation process. The nanocatalysts were applied in the esterification of free fatty acids (FFA) in the presence of methanol to produce biodiesel. The effect of different levels of sulfation and operating conditions were investigated. XRD, FT-IR, BET, FE-SEM, ICP-OES, TEM, and NH3-TPD techniques characterized the structure and acidity of the nanocatalysts. The loading of SO42− decreases the specific surface area and pore volume slightly. FE-SEM results represented spherical particles for both of the parent and modified nanocatalysts but the surface of the sulfated nanocatalyst was rough. The NH3-TPD pattern showed that the sulfation process slowly decreased the concentration of the acid sites. The sulfation with acid to catalyst ratio of 1 resulted in the best nanocatalyst. The optimum reaction conditions were 5 wt% of the nanocatalyst, methanol/oleic acid molar ratio of 20:1, T = 190 °C, the stirring rate of 700 rpm, and reaction time of 8 h, leading to the highest FFA conversion (97%). The nanocatalyst had the high stability and reusability in which FFA conversion dropped only 9% after the five sequence cycles. The results confirmed the high potential of the developed nanocatalyst for biodiesel production.

Development of a dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction method based on a ternary deep eutectic solvent as chelating agent and extraction solvent for preconcentration of heavy metals from milk samples

A simple, green, rapid, and efficient ligandless dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction procedure based on solidification of a ternary deep eutectic solvent has been proposed for the extraction of trace amounts of Cd(II), Cu(II), and Pb(II) ions in milk samples prior to their determination by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Initially, a suitable mole ratio of sorbitol, menthol, and mandelic acid are mixed in a test tube, and after heating, a deep eutectic solvent with low density compared to water is formed. The synthesized solvent is used as a chelating agent and an extraction solvent in the extraction of some heavy metal ions from milk samples. The influence of several effective parameters on the responses and extraction recoveries of the analytes was investigated. Under the optimum experimental conditions, the linear ranges were in the ranges of 1.0–40 μg L−1 for Cd(II) and Pb(II), and 1.0–25 μg L−1 for Cu(II). The obtained relative standard deviations (n = 6, C = 2.5 μg L−1 of each cation) and detection limits were in the ranges of 3.4–4.1% and 0.38–0.42 μg L−1, respectively. Finally, the developed method was successfully applied for the determination of Cd(II), Cu(II), and Pb(II) ions in different milk samples.

Thermodynamic analysis, experimental and kinetic modeling of levulinic acid esterification with ethanol at supercritical conditions

Ethyl levulinate is an environmentally friendly biomass-derived ester that is an alternative to the classic petroleum-derived fuel additives. Several studies have been addressed to its chemical production pathways. The supercritical esterification of levulinic acid to ethyl levulinate, however, remains understudied. This work reports the effect of process variables and a kinetic study for the esterification of levulinic acid with ethanol under sub and supercritical conditions. Experimental data were obtained in a continuous tubular reactor at a fixed pressure of 100 bar. The reaction temperature varied from 220 to 280 °C, and the ethanol to levulinic acid molar ratios from (2:1) to (9:1). Ethyl levulinate was synthesized with high selectivity under all evaluated reaction conditions, achieving conversions up to 80% and 93% when ethanol to levulinic acid molar ratios of (2:1) and (9:1) were used, respectively. A PFR model approach was considered with an elementary reversible self-catalyzed rate law, and the effect of considering the mixture density behavior through the reactor using the PC-SAFT equation of state was discussed. The proposed kinetic approach was able to correlate the kinetic experimental data for all experimental conditions used in this study. Furthermore, a thermodynamic analysis was performed to elucidate trends in reaction performance.

Synthesis of trimethylolpropane fatty acid triester as a high performance electrical insulating oil

The trimethylolpropane esters (TME) based high performance electrical insulating oil was synthesized by esterification of the mixture of C6, C8 and C10 acids blend with trimethylolpropane (TMP). The conversion yields of TME is maximized at catalyst (SnCl2) dosage of 0.8 wt.% and the TMP:acid molar ratio of 3.2:1 at 140 °C. The electrical performance is significantly improved by a purpose-oriented purification process which is structured by washing with ultrapure water and absorption with molecular sieve. The obtained insulating oil shows much reduced viscosity (23.3 mm2 s−1) and much enhanced AC breakdown voltage (72.6 kV) comparing with the commercial natural ester insulating oil FR3® (34 mm2s−1 and 63 kV). The high performance of the insulating oil is also manifested by quite low pour point (−45 °C) and high flash point (248 °C) which are superior to those values of mineral insulating oil (−30 °C and 170 °C). The remarkable oxidation stability of the insulating oil is metered by the oxidation induction time (OIT) 2275 min at 130 °C which should be attributed to the elimination of CC double bonds and β-H atoms.

Optimization of Palm Oleic Acid Epoxidation via in Situ Generated Performic Acid Using Taguchi Orthogonal Array Design and the Study of Reaction Kinetics

ABSTRACTThe epoxidation of palm kernel oil-crude oleic acid was carried out to produce epoxidized oleic acid. Performic acid was formed by mixing formic acid (oxygen carrier) and hydrogen peroxide (oxygen donor) in various ratios of oleic acid, formic acid, and hydrogen peroxide. The signal-to-noise ratio and the analysis of variance are employed to investigate optimal conditions for the epoxidation based on Taguchi orthogonal array method. The optimum conditions based on two responses are the highest relative conversion to oxirane and stability occurred at moderate temperature of 55°C, agitation speed 200 rpm, molar ratio of formic acid:unsaturated oleic acid of 1:1 and molar ratio hydrogen peroxide:unsaturated oleic acid mole ratio of 1:1.5. In this study, the sulfuric acid was found to be the most efficient catalyst. Then, reaction rate for epoxidation of palm oleic acid was in the range of 0.0351–0.0941 min−1 calculated at various temperatures.

Synthesis with Immobilized Lipases and Downstream Processing of Ascorbyl Palmitate.

Ascorbyl palmitate is a fatty acid ester endowed with antioxidant properties, used as a food additive and cosmetic ingredient, which is presently produced by chemical synthesis. Ascorbyl palmitate was synthesized from ascorbic acid and palmitic acid with a Pseudomonas stutzeri lipase immobilized on octyl silica, and also with the commercial immobilized lipase Novozym 435. The latter was selected for optimizing the reaction conditions because of its high reactivity and stability in the solvent 2-methyl-2-butanol used as reaction medium. The reaction of the synthesis was studied considering temperature and molar ratio of substrates as variables and synthesis yield as response parameter. The highest yield in the synthesis of ascorbyl palmitate was 81%, obtained at 55 °C and an ascorbic acid to palmitic acid molar ratio of 1:8, both variables having a strong effect on yield. The synthesized ascorbyl palmitate was purified to 94.4%, with a purification yield of 84.2%. The use of generally recognized as safe (GRAS) certified solvents with a polarity suitable for the solubilization of the compounds made the process a viable alternative for the synthesis and downstream processing of ascorbyl palmitate.

Catalytic performance and ultrasonic-assisted impregnation effects on WO3/USY zeolites in esterification of oleic acid with methyl acetate

Abstract USY commercial zeolite was used in the esterification of oleic acid and methyl acetate. Ultrasonic-assisted and conventional wet-impregnations of WO3 were compared and influence on catalytic activity and selectivity were evaluated. The reaction was performed with a methyl acetate to oleic acid molar ratio of 10:1, 10 wt% of catalyst and 240 °C. The catalyst samples were characterized using XRD, XRF, SEM, BET, 27Al and 29Si MAS-NMR, FTIR and NH3-TPD and a liquid pyridine adsorption method to identify acid sites nature. Characterization results showed high dispersion of WO3 species. Acid sites nature, strength, and distribution showed that the strongest sites of the parent USY were changed to moderated ones. Bronsted acid sites of USY were partially blocked by tungsten oxide species. Ultrasonic-assisted activation presented the highest selectivity in the esterification of oleic acid with methyl acetate. 10% and 20% WO3/USY/US zeolites reached 79.4 wt% and 80.8 wt% conversion into methyl oleate, showing similar catalytic performance to short-chain alcohols as acyl acceptors.

Study on Methyl Esterification of Salicylic Acid Using an Intensified Fixed Bed Reactor

Abstract Methyl esterification of salicylic acid catalyzed by strong acidic cation exchange resin NKC-9 was carried out on an intensified fixed bed reactor (IFBR) to investigate the effects of different parameters and the results showed that the optimal conditions were as follows: circulation speed is 1.5 L· h−1, catalyst loading is 20 %, initial mole ratio of salicylic acid and methanol is 1:6 and reaction temperature is 343.15 K. The thermodynamics for the methyl esterification of salicylic acid have been studied to obtain the equilibrium constant from the experimental data at different temperature. PH, E-R and LHHW models were used to correlate the kinetic data in the temperature range from 328.15 to 348.15 K. The calculated value is in good agreement with experimental value, indicating that all the models can be used to accurately describe the process of the methyl esterification of salicylic acid.

Esterification of Glycerol with Acetic Acid Using Nitrogen-Based Brønsted-Acidic Ionic Liquids

Glycerol esterification with acetic acid produces a mixture of mono, di, and triacetins, which are commercially important value-added products with a wide range of industrial uses including their application as fuel-additives, thus contributing to environmental sustainability and economic viability of the biorefinery concept. Glycerol esterification with acetic acid was studied using a range of nitrogen-based Bronsted-acidic ionic liquids. Cost-effective and easily synthesized Bronsted-acidic ionic liquids based on alkyl-pyrrolidone and alkyl-amine cations were synthesized and characterized using ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The catalytic activity of the Bronsted-acidic ionic liquids produced were investigated for the production of di and triacetin from glycerol and acetic acid. Amongst all ionic liquids evaluated in this study, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinium hydrogen sulfate [H-NMP][HSO₄] was found to be the most active and cost-effective catalyst. The effect of significant reaction parameters on selectivity to the trisubstituted product, triacetin, was modeled using a design of experiment (DoE) approach with a response surface methodology involving a central composite design. The esterification process was optimized to maximize the production of triacetin. Optimizing the process this way naturally leads to lower levels of mono and diacetin. Amongst the reaction parameters evaluated, temperature had the greatest influence on product selectivity, followed by the glycerol to acetic acid molar ratio, and the model also showed dependence on the synergistic interaction between the temperature and mole ratio. It is worth noting that agitation speed had minimal influence on product selectivity. Under optimized reaction conditions, >99% glycerol conversion was achieved with 42.3% selectivity to triacetin, and a combined di and triacetin selectivity of >95% within 1 h.

Fabrication of nanosized SO42\u2212/Co\u2013Al mixed oxide via solution combustion method used in esterification reaction: effect of urea-nitrate ratio on the properties and performance

Recently, mixed metal aluminate as a highly active, stable, and reusable nanocatalyst was extremely used in chemical reactions such as esterification. The preparation of the samples via a simple, rapid, and cost-effective method is one of the main problems on the front of the industrial application of these materials. For this purpose, the solution combustion method (SCM) was assessed for the fabrication of spinel CoAl2O4, and the effects of fuel-to-oxidizer (F/O) ratio on crystalline structure, surface functional groups, surface area, morphology, and porosity were analyzed. The activity of the samples, which was impregnated by the sulfate group was evaluated in the esterification reaction. Morphology and texture properties of the samples indicated the crystallinity, surface area, and pore diameter of CoAl2O4 were enhanced by increasing the F/O ratio. It can be related to increasing the combustion reaction time and temperature. However, at F/O ratios above two, due to limited diffusion of oxygen into the reaction medium, the reaction terminated immaturely. Sulfated cobalt aluminate fabricated at F/O ratio of two was successfully synthesized in nanoscale with same particle size. Moreover, it did not show impurity in its structure that is related to the ability of the combustion method for the fabrication of pure nanocatalyst. Evaluation of the catalytic activity of the SO42−/CoAl2O4 nanocatalysts in the esterification reaction confirmed the results of physicochemical studies. For instance, the sample prepared at F/O ratio of two presented the highest conversion (96.7%) at methanol/oleic acid molar ratio of nine, catalyst amount of 3 wt. %, and reaction temperature and time of 120 °C and 4 h, respectively. In addition to preserving its activity for four runs (conversion > 85%), its activity was simply recovered upon regeneration by sulfate group, making it a promising alternative for industrial production of biodiesel.Graphic abstract

Investigation on the optimal chemical structure of methacrylate ester based polycarboxylate superplasticizers to be used as cement grinding aid under laboratory conditions: Effect of anionicity, side chain length and dosage on grinding efficiency, mortar workability and strength development

Using polycarboxylate ether/ester (PCE) superplasticizers as cement grinding aid presents an interesting concept because the PCE could provide both grinding and fluidizing effect at the same time, thus achieving two benefits from the admixture. Here, a systematic study on the relationship between the molecular structure of ω-methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate ester based PCE (MPEG-PCE) and their grinding efficiency was performed. A series of MPEG-PCEs with systematically modified compositions was employed and their impact on grinding efficiency was assessed. First of all, the PCE dosage required to achieve a certain fineness in a laboratory ball mill was determined. Then, the grinding efficiency of PCEs exhibiting different anionic charge density and side chain length was investigated. It was found that an optimal molar ratio of carboxylic acid : side chain exists, and that shorter side chains are more beneficial for grinding efficiency than longer ones. Furthermore, it was also found that intergrinding of MPEG-PCEs with clinker produces a cement with higher fluidity.

In Situ Synthesis and Performance of Aluminum Fumarate Metal–Organic Framework Monolithic Adsorbent for Water Adsorption

The monolithic adsorbent is a key part of an adsorptive rotary dehumidification system. It is usually prepared by dip-coating the adsorbent on glass fiber paper. In this study, a new in situ strategy for synthesis of an aluminum fumarate (A520) metal–organic framework monolithic adsorbent on glass fiber paper is introduced. The influences of the mole ratio of fumaric acid to H2O, the reaction temperature and time on the crystal phase, the pore structure, and the adsorption performance of the monolithic adsorbent are systematically discussed. The morphology of the adsorbent was characterized by scanning electronic microscopy, and the adsorption and desorption performances were evaluated by dynamic vapor sorption and differential thermogravimetric analysis. The results showed that under the conditions of a mole ratio of fumaric acid to H2O of 0.02, reaction temperature of 50 °C, and reaction time of 60 min, the obtained A520 monolith exhibited the highest BET surface area (740.15 m2·g–1) and high adsorption capacity (0.3906 g·g–1). The monolithic adsorbent carries about 76% A520 powder with the advantages of a facile fabrication process, high adsorption capacity, rapid adsorption rate, and low desorption temperature, providing guidance for the fabrication of a highly efficient desiccant dehumidification wheel.

Green Extraction of Phenolic Acids from Artemisia argyi Leaves by Tailor-Made Ternary Deep Eutectic Solvents.

The Artemisia argyi leaf (AL) has been used as a traditional medicine and food supplement in China and other Asian countries for hundreds of years. Phytochemical studies disclosed that AL contains various bioactive constituents. Among bioactive constituents, phenolic acids have been recognized as the main active compounds in AL. To the best of our knowledge, no research has been focused on extraction method for the bioactive phenolic acids from AL. Nowadays, deep eutectic solvents (DESs) are emerging as a new type of green and sustainable solvent for efficient extraction of bioactive compounds from natural products. In the present study, an environmentally friendly extraction method based on DESs was established to extract bioactive phenolic acids from ALs. Diverse tailor-made solvents, including binary and ternary DESs, were explored for simultaneous extraction of four phenolic acids (3-caffeoylquinic acid, 3,4-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid, 3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid, and 4,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid) from AL. The results indicated that the ternary DES composed of a 2:1:2 molar ratio of choline chloride, malic acid, and urea showed enhanced extraction yields for phenolic acids compared with conventional organic solvents and other DESs. Subsequently, the extraction parameters for the four phenolic acids by selected tailor-made DESs, including liquid–solid ratios, water content (%) in the DESs, and extraction time, were optimized using response surface methodology and the optimal extraction conditions were: extraction time, 23.5 min; liquid–solid ratio, 57.5 mL/g (mL of DES/g dry weight of plant material); water content, 54%. The research indicated that DESs were efficient and sustainable green extraction solvents for extraction of bioactive phenolic acids from natural products. Compared to the conventional organic solvents, the DESs have a great potential as possible alternatives to those organic solvents in health-related areas such as food and pharmaceuticals.