A selective and convenient synthesis of 2-(bis(2-hydroxyethyl)amino)ethyl alkanoate over mixed metal oxides

Abstract

Esterification reactions carried out using various mineral acids are threat to environment hence process modification using commercially viable heterogeneous catalysts are in demand. In current work, the esterification of tri-ethanolamine (TEA, C 6H 15O 3N) with several fatty acids in liquid phase has been investigated on a series of heterogeneous mixed metal oxides catalyst prepared by co-precipitation method, crystallizing with spinel lattice such as, CuFe 2O 4, ZnFe 2O 4, CoFe 2O 4, NiFe 2O 4 and 10% (w/w) ZnFe 2O 4 supported on SiO 2 and ZrO 2. The best catalyst for the selective preparation of 2-(bis(2-hydroxyethyl)amino)ethyl alkanoate was 10% (w/w) ZnFe 2O 4 supported on ZrO 2. Detail comparison of a 10% (w/w) ZnFe 2O 4/ZrO 2 prepared by co-precipitation method was carried out with 10% (w/w) ZnFe 2O 4/ZrO 2 prepared by template route for the selective formation of 2-(bis(2-hydroxyethyl)amino)ethyl alkanoate. The effects of variety of parameters including effect of catalyst preparation were studied in a batch reactor.