A STUDY ON ESTERIFICATION KINETICS AS A TWO-WAY REACTION

Abstract

The esterification kinetics of the three carboxylic acids viz., n-propionic acid, n-butyric acid and n-pentanoic acid with 2-propanol in the presence of sulphuric acid catalyst, are studied in a temperature controlled and stirred batch reactor.  The effect of the different variables on the rates of reaction such as mole ratio of acid to alcohol varied as 0.5 to 1.5, catalyst loading varied from 1.0 to 3.0 weight percent and the reaction temperature ranging between 50^oC and 70^oC is observed.  The experimental data are incorporated in the second order rate equation considering esterification as a two-way reaction.  The forward and backward second order rate constants with respect to acids concentration are evaluated using integral method of analysis for the present systems.  The correlation equations subjected to non-linear regression analysis in terms of the forward and backward rate constants are obtained.  The experimental and the calculated values of both the second order rate constants are compared and the results are found to be in good agreement.