A series of eco-friendly solid acid catalysts, including H-14[NaP5W30O110], H-14-P5Mo, H-14[NaP5W29MoO110], H-14-P5Mo, and silica supported H-14[NaP5W30O110], H-14-P-5/SiO2 have been used as catalysts for esterification of salicylic acid with aliphatic alcohols (methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, 1-butanol, t-butanol, 1-pentanol, and 2-pentanol) and benzylic alcohols (benzyl, 2-methylbenzyl, 2-chlorobenzyl, 4-bromobenzyl, 3-nitrobenzyl, and 4-methoxy benzyl) alcohol. The performance of different forms of Preyssler's anion in the presence of dichloroethan as the solvent of choice was compared with H2SO4. In all cases, maximum of ester yields and product selectivity (100%) was observed by using H-14-P-5 as catalyst. The esterification reactions were extended with other aliphatic and aromatic acids. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.