Thermodynamic and kinetic studies for synthesis of the acetal (1,1-diethoxybutane) catalyzed by Amberlyst 47 ion-exchange resin

• Synthesis of 1,1-diethoxybutane was studied in a batch reactor.
• Thermodynamic equilibrium constant was determined in the temperature range of 293.15–323.15 K.
• The standard formation properties of 1,1-diethoxybutane have been determined.
• Two-parameter kinetic model based on a Langmuir–Hinshelwood indicates good agreement with the experimental data.

The synthesis of 1,1-diethoxybutane was carried out in a batch reactor from a liquid phase reaction between ethanol and butyraldehyde using Amberlyst 47 as the solid acid catalyst to obtain thermodynamic, kinetic and adsorption parameters. The reaction equilibrium constant was experimentally determined in the temperature range 293.15–323.15 K. The standard properties of the reaction at 298.15 K were also estimated. The effects of temperature, molar ratio of ethanol to butyraldehyde, stirrer speed, and catalyst loading on the reaction rate were investigated. Kinetic experiments were performed in the same temperature range at 6 bar. A two-parameter kinetic law based on a Langmuir–Hinshelwood–Hougen–Watson rate expression, using activity coefficients from the UNIFAC method, was used to predict the experimental data of the heterogeneous liquid-phase reaction. The kinetic parameters were determined based on the kinetic model. The model predicts the kinetic data very well and it will be useful for design and optimization of integrated reaction–separation processes.