Esterification of carboxylic acids with olefins using cation exchange resins as catalysts

Abstract

Esterification of acetic acid with α olefins and isobutylene was carried out in the presence of cation exchange resins used as catalysts in the temperature range of 10 to 100 °C depending on the nature of the olefin used. Amberlyst 15 showed the highest catalytic efficiency. An attempt was made to separate isobutylene from isomeric butenes by selective esterification with acetic acid. There are distinct advantages in making isopropyl chloroacetate from propylene and chloroacetic acid; unconverted chloroacetic acid can be recycled using a new strategy. The transesterification of 2-dodecyl acetate with alcohols such as methanol and n-butanol to give the corresponding ester and secondary alcohol was carried out in the presence of Amberlyst 15 as the catalyst. n-Butanol was found to be a suitable alcohol for this reaction.