The Preparation of Ethyl Levulinate Facilitated by Flow Processing: The Catalyzed and Uncatalyzed Esterification of Levulinic Acid

Added on:
29 Sep, 2015

The catalyzed and uncatalyzed preparation of ethyl levulinate from levulinic acid and ethanol is presented. In the case of acid-catalyzed reactions, conditions were optimized in batch using microwave heating and then scaled-up using continuousflow processing. Both p-toluenesulfonic acid and sulfuric acid were used as catalysts, the latter proving most amenable. For the uncatalyzed reactions, all reactions were performed under continuous-flow conditions, using apparatus capable of operating at high temperature and pressure. Optimal conditions for the uncatalyzed process required heating a 3.6-M solution of levulinic acid in ethanol at 270 °C with a residence time of 30 min.

  • Meghan P. Negus1
  • Andrew C. Mansfield2
  • Nicholas E. Leadbeater1
  • 1 Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, 55 North Eagleville Road, Storrs, CT 06269, United States
  • 2 Vapourtec Ltd., Park Farm Business Centre, Bury St. Edmunds IP28 6TS, United Kingdom
  • 3 Department of Community Medicine and Health Care, University of Connecticut Health Center, The Exchange, 263 Farmington Ave, Farmington, CT 06030, United States
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