The　transesterification　of　palm　oil　and　methanol　catalyzed　by　Brønsted　acidic　ionic　liquids　was　investigated.　Four　eco-friendly　Brønsted　acidic　ionic　liquids　were　prepared　and　their　structures　were　characterized　by　NMR,　FT-IR　and　TG–DTG.　The　results　demonstrated　that　[CyN1,1PrSO3H][p-TSA]　was　more　efficient　than　the　other　ionic　liquids　and　chosen　as　catalyst　for　further　research.　The　influences　of　various　reaction　parameters　on　the　conversion　of　palm　oil　to　biodiesel　were　performed,　and　the　orthogonal　test　was　investigated　to　seek　the　optimum　reaction　conditions,　which　were　illustrated　as　follows:　methanol　to　oil　mole　ratio　of　24:1,　catalyst　dosage　of　3.0　wt%　of　oil,　reaction　temperature　of　120　°C,　reaction　time　of　150　min,　and　the　biodiesel　yield　achieved　98.4%.　In　addition,　kinetic　study　was　established　for　the　conversion　process,　with　activation　energy　and　pre-exponential　factor　of　122.93　kJ·mol−　1　and　1.83　×　1015,　respectively.　Meanwhile,　seven-time　recycling　runs　of　ionic　liquid　were　completed　with　ignorable　loss　of　its　catalyst　activity.　The　refined　biodiesel　met　the　biodiesel　standard　EN　14214.　©　2017　Elsevier　B.V.