Ethyl acetate production in the presence of a catalyst

Abstract

Ethyl acetate is a solvent widely used in the chemical industry including paints, coatings, ink production, adhesives, fragrances and pharmaceuticals. The most common strategy of producing ethyl acetate consists in a simple esterification of ethanol with acetic acid in the presence of acidic catalyst. This reaction is usually catalysed by environmentally hazardous liquid acids such as H2SO4, H3PO4 and HC1. Literature reveals that for synthesis of esters ion exchange resins can be used as catalyst. Studies are lacking for the determination of the potential to use less costly, ion exchange resins that are available in the local market as a catalyst in synthesis of ethyl acetate.