POTENTIAL UTILIZATION OF FUSEL OIL - A KINETIC APPROACH FOR PRODUCTION OF FUSEL OIL ESTERS THROUGH CHEMICAL-REACTION

Fusel oil is a by-product of the distillation of ethyl alcohol from th e fermentation of molasses and contains mainly C3-C5 alcohols. Acetic acid and butyric acid esters of its major alcohol components have econ omic value as chemicals for flavor and fragrance manufacturing. This s tudy presents some data regarding the uncatalyzed esterification of fu sel oil with acetic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid. The reactio ns were carried out at two temperatures, i.e., 45 degrees C and under the reflux conditions (80 - 85 degrees C). The composition of raw fuse l oil and the reaction mixtures were determined by gas chromatography. The reaction rate constants for the formation the esters were estimat ed based on the concentration-time relationships. The results indicate d that esterification rate of fusel oil is very slow and, under identi cal conditions, the rate depends on the reacting acid. The formation r ates of butyric acid esters were found to be higher than the those of acetic acid and propionic acid eaters. After approximately 6.5 hours o f the reaction at 45 degrees C, the estimated maximum production yield of the mixed acedic acid esters was around 19%, propionic acid esters 24% and butyric acid esters 35%. Increasing reaction temperature incr eased the conversion ratios.