Etherification of n-butanol to di-n-butyl ether over H3PMo12 − xWxO40 (x = 0, 3, 6, 9, 12) Keggin and H6P2Mo18 − xWxO62 (x = 0, 3, 9, 15, 18) Wells–Dawson heteropolyacid catalysts

Etherification of n-butanol to di-n-butyl ether was carried out over H3PMo12 − xWxO40 (x = 0, 3, 6, 9, 12) Keggin and H6P2Mo18 − xWxO62 (x = 0, 3, 9, 15, 18) Wells–Dawson heteropolyacid (HPA) catalysts. Acid strength of H3PMo12 − xWxO40 Keggin and H6P2Mo18 − xWxO62 Wells–Dawson HPA catalysts was determined by NH3-TPD (temperature-programmed desorption) measurements. The correlations between desorption peak temperature (acid strength) of the HPA catalysts and catalytic activity revealed that conversion of n-butanol and yield for di-n-butyl ether increased with increasing acid strength of the catalysts, regardless of the identity of HPA catalysts (without HPA structural sensitivity).

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► H3PMo12 − xWxO40 and H6P2Mo18 − xWxO62 heteropolyacid catalysts were prepared.
► Etherification of n-butanol to di-n-butyl ether was carried out.
► Conversion of n-butanol increased with increasing acid strength of the catalysts.
► Yield for di-n-butyl ether increased with increasing acid strength of the catalysts.