Esterification of lauric acid with butanol-1 over H3PW12O40 supported on MCM-41

► 12-tungstophosphoric acid anchored to MCM-41 was synthesized and characterized. ► Catalytic activity for esterification of lauric acid with n-butanol. ► Catalyst was recovered and reused up to four cycles. ► Esterification of lauric acid follows second order rate law. ► Activation energy was found to be 78 kJ mol−1.