Kinetics of esterification of acetic acid with 1-octanol in the presence of Amberlyst 36

Abstract

Kinetic data on the esterification of acetic acid with 1-octanol were obtained from both uncatalyzed and heterogeneously catalyzed reactions using a stirred batch reactor in toluene. The equilibrium constant, K-C, which is independent of temperature ranging from 333 to 358K, was found to be 60.7. The uncatalyzed reaction was proved to be a second-order reversible reaction. In the presence of Amberlyst 36, the reaction was found to follow the Eley-Rideal mechanism, and the surface reaction is a rate-limiting step. From this model, the reaction rate can be given by the expression: -r(A) (=) k(m/V)(CACB - (CECW/K-C))/(1 + KACA + KWCW). The temperature dependencies of the constants appearing in the rate expressions were also calculated to be: k (L-2/g dry resin . mol . min) = exp (1.07 - 2991/T). K-A(L/mol) = exp (12954/T - 38.28). and K-w(L/mol) = exp (25427/T - 76.15) where T is the absolute temperature in Kelvin