Kinetic and diffusion study of acid-catalyzed liquid-phase alkyl formates hydrolysis

Alkyl formates are typically hydrolyzed with the aid of homogeneous catalysts, but heterogeneous catalysts provide a promising pathway for the process. The hydrolysis of alkyl formates by a solid acid catalyst, ion-exchange resin was accomplished in a batch reactor, a stirred autoclave operating isothermally at 60 °C and 90 °C with a constant initial water-to-ester molar ratio. A mathematical model, which incorporates the particle size distribution of the solid catalyst, was developed to study the kinetics and internal mass transfer effects in the porous particles and it was able to predict the concentrations in the bulk phase and inside the catalyst particles. A combined reaction–diffusion model is necessary to describe the behavior of the system. The model was able to predict well the experimental results.

► Amberlite IR 120 resin was used to catalyze the hydrolysis of alkyl formate.
► Autocatalysis was observed experimentally in the absence of the catalyst.
► A combined reaction–diffusion model, with PSD was used to describe the system.
► The model was able to predict the experimental results successfully.