| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 61219 | Journal of Catalysis | 2013 | 15 Pages |
•Acid resins are effective catalysts for ethyl octyl ether synthesis in liquid phase.•Alcohols conversion increases with the acid capacity of the resins.•Selectivity to ethyl octyl ether is greatly influenced by Vsp and [H+]/Vsp.•The swollen morphology is a very significant factor in ethyl octyl ether synthesis.•A fraction of acid sites does not take part in EOE synthesis in high cross-linked resins.
Ethyl octyl ether (EOE) liquid-phase synthesis from ethanol and 1-octanol over ion-exchange resins is feasible at 423 K, though diethyl ether and di-n-octyl ether are also formed. The influence of the catalyst morphology on the reaction was checked by testing 22 acidic resins. Gel-type resins of low cross-linking degree yielded larger amounts of EOE, whereas macroreticular ones of high cross-linking degree gave mainly diethyl ether. Ethanol conversion depends strongly on the resin acid capacity, [H+], whereas 1-octanol conversion and selectivity to EOE depend on the specific volume of swollen polymer, Vsp, and the porosity. The variation of ethanol and 1-octanol conversion and selectivity to EOE with respect to both alcohols, as well as ether TOF, as a function of [H+]/Vsp suggest that a fraction of the active sites does not take part in the EOE synthesis reaction on highly cross-linked resins. Amberlyst 70 could be interesting in industry due to its selectivity to EOE and higher thermal stability.
Graphical abstractThe effect of ion-exchange resin morphology on the formation of ethyl octyl ether (EOE) from ethanol (EtOH) and 1-octanol (OcOH) at 423 K was studied on 22 catalysts. Diethyl ether (DEE) and di-n-octyl ether (DNOE) were also formed. The selectivity to the products (k) from each reactant (j , in parentheses), Sjk, is a function of the number of acid sites per specific volume of the swollen polymer phase ([H+]/Vsp). This parameter could be used as a quick guide for selecting a resin catalyst for EOE synthesis.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload high-quality image (105 K)Download as PowerPoint slide
