Volumetric, chromatographic, refractometric studies on the esterification of methanol with acetic acid in the presence of cation-exchange resins

Abstract

Esterification of methyl alcohol with acetic acid catalysed by commercially available polymeric ion-exchange resins Amberlyst-15, Dowex 50W and Amberlite IR-120 was carried out in the temperature ranging between 323-338 K. Mesh sizes and divinylbenzene contents had virtually no effect on the rate the data of which were correlated with a second-order homogeneous reaction. The samples were analysed with gas chromatography, refractometry and volumetry. The reproducibilities were the order of +/- 2.89%, +/- 5.07% and the order of +/- 6.58% respectively for the volumetric, chromatographic and refractometric methods.