Volumetric, Chromatographic, Refractometric Studies on the Esterification of Methanol with Acetic Acid in the Presence of Cation-Exchange Resins

Abstract

Summary 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 323–338K. 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.