The Kinetics of Transesterification between Dimethylterephthalate and 1,3-Propanediol

The transesterification of dimethyl terephthalate (DMT) with 1,3-propanediol (PDO) was investigated in the presence of catalyst, titanium (IV) butoxide (TBO), at 175~190 . The degree of transesterification reaction was measured by the output of methanol which was distilled from the reactor. The amount of methanol increased as the reaction temperature, molar ratio and catalyst concentration increased. The observed overall rate of the transesterification was third order; first order with respect to DMT, PDO, and the concentration of catalyst, respectively. Using calculated rate constants, the activation energy for transesterification was 26.93 kcal/mole. The melting temperature of bis(2-hydroxytrimethyl) terephthalate (BHTMT) was 85.2 and heat of fusion 141.3 J/g.