Kinetics of Catalysed Esterification of Propionic Acid with various Alcohols using Synthetic Cation Exchange Resin

Chemistry Department. Faculty of Science. Al-Azhar University, Nasr City, Cairo. Egypt

Manuscript received 31 January 1996, accepted 9 May 1996

Kinetics of esterification of ethyl, 2-propyl and 1-butyl alcohols with propionic acid have been investigated using SBPF (sty rene-butadi­ene-phenolformaldehyde) synthetic cation exchange resin (in H⁺- form). The experimental data are found to fit a second order bimo­lecular kinetic equation. The influence of molecular weight, structure of alcohols, amount of catalyst (H⁺-ion), molar ratio of reactants and reaction temperature on the specific rate constant and percent conversion have been investigated.

The esterification reaction rate constant (K₁) and the percent conversion (X_Ac, %) for different alcohols with propionic acid has been calculated and compared. It is found to decrease with increasing molecular weight and branching of alcohols : 2-propanul < 1-butanol < ethanol.