Kinetics of catalysed esterification of propionic acid with various alcohols using synthetic cation exchange resin

Kinetics of esterification of ethyl,2-propyl and 1-butyl alcohols with propionic acid have been investigated using SBPF (styrene-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 (K-1) and the percent conversion (X-Ae, %) for different alcohols with propionic acid have been calculated and compared. It is found to decrease with increasing molecular weight and branching of alcohols:2-propanol<1-butano<ethanol.