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[Display omitted] • Mesoporous polymer ionic liquids for the immobilization of lipase demonstrated mesoporous properties. • Resultant systems were used as recyclable biocatalysts for ester production. • Lipase immobilization led to higher stability than that of the free enzyme. • The process can generate high-purity esters using lipase-immobilized mesoporous polymer ionic liquid. Herein, fatty acid esters were synthesized cost-effectively from various fatty acids using reusable lipase (L) immobilized with novel porous ionic polymer (PIP) (l –PIP). The functionalized mesoporous PIP was synthesized through Friedel–Crafts alkylation reaction of 1, 4-bis(bromomethyl) benzene in the presence of ferric chloride as catalyst, and lipase was completely immobilized with PIP at varied time, forming l –PIP–6 H , l –PIP–12 H , l –PIP–18 H , l –PIP–24 H , l –PIP–30 H , and l –PIP–36 H , which were applied in ester production. l –PIP–30 H was characterized using FT–IR, SEM, XPS, solid–state 13C NMR, and N 2 adsorption–desorption isotherms. The conversion of oleic acid reached 88.21 % under optimized conditions (12:1 ethanol/oleic acid molar ratio after 5 h at 45 °C with 250 wt% catalyst at 300 rpm). The stability and reusability of l –PIP–30 H were demonstrated by the sustained catalytic efficiency for at least six reaction cycles. Good catalytic activity during the esterification of various free fatty acids with ethanol was observed. This cost–efficient and effective lipase–immobilized PIP catalyst may have positive economic and environmental repercussions to inspire further academic and industrial research on biodiesel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]