A Kinetic Investigation of Triacetin Methanolysis and Assessment of the Stability of a Sulfated Zirconium Oxide Catalyst

Abstract

AbstractIn this work, the activity and stability of a sulfated zirconium catalyst in transesterification reactions of triacetin, a model molecule, were investigated. This catalyst has Lewis and Brønsted acid sites and has shown to be highly active in reactions converting triacetin into methyl esters. This catalyst was synthesized using the impregnation method, and systematically characterized using the techniques of x‐rays diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform‐infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller, and thermal gravimetry analysis (TGA). Kinetic studies were carried out to determine the activation energy as well as the reaction order. The effects of the main reaction parameters, such as temperature, the molar ratio, and the catalyst content, were evaluated. The reuse and possible leaching of the catalyst were also investigated. The highest efficiency (ca. 99% of methyl esters) was achieved in the sulfated zirconium oxide‐catalyzed transesterification reaction.