Vapor-phase esterification of acetic acid with ethanol catalyzed by a macroporous sulfonated styrene-divinylbenzene (20%) resin

The kinetics of the vapor-phase (85-120/sup 0/C) esterification of acetic acid with ethyl alcohol, at atmospheric pressure, catalyzed by a macroporous sulfonated styrene-divinylbenzene (DVB;20%) resin, has been studied. A simple first-order model (r = kp/sub 1/) fits experimental kinetic data properly for a constant reactants ratio. Discussion by means of L-H-H-W models shows that the rate-controlling step is the surface reaction with a single-site mechanism. The apparent activation energy is 4000 cal/mol.