Issue 20, 2016

Influence of alkyl chain length on sulfated zirconia catalysed batch and continuous esterification of carboxylic acids by light alcohols§

Abstract

The impact of alkyl chain length on the esterification of C2–C16 organic acids with C1–C4 alcohols has been systematically investigated over bulk and SBA-15 supported sulfated zirconias (SZs). Rates of catalytic esterification for methanol with acetic acid are directly proportional to the sulfur content for both SZ and SZ/SBA-15, with the high dispersion of SZ achievable in conformal coatings over mesoporous SBA-15 confering significant rate-enhancements. Esterification over the most active 0.24 mmol gcat−1 bulk SZ and 0.29 mmol gcat−1 SZ/SBA-15 materials was inversely proportional to the alkyl chain length of alcohol and acid reactants; being most sensitive to changes from methanol to ethanol and acetic to hexanoic acids respectively. Kinetic analyses reveal that these alkyl chain dependencies are in excellent accord with the Taft relationship for polar and steric effects in aliphatic systems and the enthalpy of alcohol adsorption, implicating a Langmuir–Hinshelwood mechanism. The first continuous production of methyl propionate over a SZ fixed-bed is also demonstrated.

Graphical abstract: Influence of alkyl chain length on sulfated zirconia catalysed batch and continuous esterification of carboxylic acids by light alcohols

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
16 Apr 2016
Accepted
13 Jul 2016
First published
13 Jul 2016
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

Green Chem., 2016,18, 5529-5535

Author version available

Influence of alkyl chain length on sulfated zirconia catalysed batch and continuous esterification of carboxylic acids by light alcohols

A. Osatiashtiani, L. J. Durndell, J. C. Manayil, A. F. Lee and K. Wilson, Green Chem., 2016, 18, 5529 DOI: 10.1039/C6GC01089J

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