Resination and decarboxylation reactions in fusion synthesis of Ca-resinates

The reaction steps in fusion synthesis of Ca-resinates include a fast, irre versible resination reaction and a slow decarboxylation of rosin acids. The kinetics of the reactions was studied separately in a laboratory scale bat ch reactor. The kinetic data were obtained by acid number titrations and FT IR measurements. Resination was observed to be a fast irreversible reaction in the temperature range 190 to 235 degrees C. Rate equations for the deca rboxylation reaction were derived based on plausible mechanistic reaction s teps of free and solvating rosin acids. The parameters of the rate equation s were estimated for syntheses at different reaction temperatures (265 to 2 85 degrees C) and the kinetic model was successfully applied to predict the experimental kinetics of rosin acid decarboxylation.