Tuesday, 24 April 2007 - 2:55 PM
75c

Direct Ethoxylation of Butyl Acrylate with Narrow Adduct Distribution

Yun Fang, Yongan Shen, Shirun Ji, and Yongmei Xia. School of Chemical and Material Engineering, Southern Yangtze University, Wuxi, China

One-pot production of ethylene glycol monobutyl ether acrylate was achieved by direct ethoxylation of butyl acrylate, using a Al-Mg composite oxide catalyst. Mass percentage of ethylene glycol monobutyl ether acrylate in the crude product was 40.3% after 30min reaction at 150-155 oC when a molar ratio of 2:1(butyl acrylate to ethelene oxide) was employed. The catalyst activity was 0.35gEO/(g cat • min). 4-oxo-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl piperdine-1-oxyl was found the most effective inhibitor to prevent self-polymerization of butyl acrylate during the ethoxylation.