Etherification in cyclohexane/DBSA/water microemulsion system

Etherification reaction of hexanol and tert  -butyl alcohol in the cyclohexane/dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid (DBSA)/water reverse microemulsion system has been investigated. The effect of several parameters, such as molar ratio of reactants, concentration of DBSA, reaction temperature, w0w0 ([H2O]/[surfactant]) value and various substrates, on the etherification was also studied. The results showed that the optimal reaction conditions for the etherification were as follows: T = 318 K, w0=2w0=2, molar ratio of reactants was 1:1.2 and cDBSA = 0.05 M. Furthermore, the comparison reactions in several surfactant systems were also performed and the results showed that the conversion in DBSA system was the highest, which proved the key factor affecting the conversion of the reactants was intrinsic nature of DBSA as a Brønsted acid-surfactant-combined catalyst. Finally, the mechanism of reaction was also put forward. After realizing that DBSA is both acid catalyst and surfactant, we concluded that it was dual functions of acid catalyst and surfactant that played an important role in improving reaction rate and conversion of etherification.

Etherification reaction of hexanol and tert  -butyl alcohol in the cyclohexane/dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid (DBSA)/water reverse microemulsion system has been investigated. The effect of all kinds of parameters, such as molar ratio of reactants, concentration of DBSA, reaction temperature, w0w0 value and various substrates, on the etherification was also studied. Furthermore, the comparison reactions in several surfactant systems were also performed and the results showed that the conversion in DBSA system was the highest.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide