Effect and Correlation of Alkyl Chain Length and Concentration of Surfactant on Dehydration Esterification Catalyzed by Br⊘nsted Acid-Combined-Surfactant Catalysts

Abstract

In this study, effect and correlation of alkyl chain length (C8, C10, C12, C14, and C16) and concentration of n-alkyl sulfate acid used as representative Br⊘nsted acid-combined-surfactant catalysts on dehydration esterification of oleic acid with 1-octanol as typical substrates are researched. CMC of the series surfactant are measured by surface tension method. The results indicate that alkyl chain length as well as concentration of catalyst plays an important role in determining conversion of esterifications. Appropriate chain length surfactant and concentration should be chosen for the combined-surfactant catalyzed reaction.

Keywords:

• Chain length
• concentration
• esterification
• surfactant

This research was supported by the “XIBUZHIGUANG” Science Foundation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences for the financial support of this investigation. We are grateful to B. Song for use of the surface tension measurement.

Notes

∗Oleic acid: 1-octanol = 1:1 (molar ratio); temp.: 25.0 ± 0.1°C.