Study on Catalytic Synthesis of Benzyl Propionate Using Potassium Bisulfate

Benzyl propionate was synthesized by the esterification reaction of benzyl alcohol with propionic acid using potassium bisulfate. The results indicated that KHSO 4 had higher catalytic activity for the reaction. The influences of the amount of catalyst used, the molar ratio of benzyl alcohol to propionic acid, reaction time and temperature, and the amount of cyclohexane used on the yield of benzyl propionate have been investigated. Under the typical reaction conditions (catalyst/propionic acid is 1.og∶0.2mol, benzyl alcohol/propionic acid molar ratio is 0.1∶0.2, reaction time is 2.5h, reaction temperature is 95℃～110℃, cyclohexane/ propionic acid is 15ml∶0.2mol) the yield of the ester could reach 79.3% .The catalyst can be easily recovered and reused and has very good activity and stability. Potassium bisulfate as catalyst was better based on the esterification reaction of benzyl propionate with different catalysts.