The Green Route to Synthesizing n-Butyl Acetate

A green method of synthesizing n-butyl acetate was introduced.Using acetic acid and n-butanol as reactants,ammonium ferric sulfate dodecahydrate instead of sulfuric acid as catalyst,the preparation of n-butyl acetate was improved.The factors influencing its catalytic performance were investigated and optimized,including reaction time,molar ratios of acetic acid to n-butanol,the amount of catalyst.The results indicate that the best reaction conditions are:molar ratio of acetic acid to n-butanol is 1∶1.2,the catalyst is 1.1 g,the reaction time is 45 min.The yield of n-butyl acetate is more than 98%.The catalyst is cheap,stable and insoluble in organic acids and organic alcohol.After reaction,it forms insoluble lumps and is easily separated from the reaction system.It has high catalytic activity and selectivity,no corrosivity.The improved experiment is cheap,green,easy to operate,and has instructional significance for industrial production and experimental teaching.