Process for making esters.

摘要

Carboxylic acid esters, and in particular ethyl acetate, are produced by esterification of an organtc carboxylic acid ester with an alcohol in the presence of an alkyl sulphonic acid having a desulphonation temperature in excess of that of p-toluensulphonic acid. Such sulphonic acids, for example methanesulphonic acid, reduce the rate of fouling of commercially operated esterification units.