HETEROGENEOUS CATALYSIS IN ESTERIFICATION REACTIONS - PREPARATION OF PHENETHYL ACETATE AND CYCLOHEXYL ACETATE BY USING A VARIETY OF SOLID ACIDIC CATALYSTS

Esterification is an important class of reactions in the preparation o f perfumery and flavor chemicals, wherein homogeneous acid catalysts a re normally used. The application of solid acidic and superacidic cata lysts can prove to be very effective from the viewpoint of activity, s electivity, reusability, and economy in the manufacture of perfumery e sters, and thus, this paper delineates such studies in the preparation of phenethyl acetate and cyclohexyl acetate with a variety of solid a cids including a complete theoretical and experimental analysis. The l ist of catalysts employed for this study is Filtrol-24, Amberlyst-15, sulfated zirconia, heteropolyacids (supported on silica and carbon and also unsupported), and concentrated sulfuric acid.