Some novel Brønsted acidic ionic liquids (TSILs) that bear an alkane sulfonic acid group in an acyclic
trialkanylammonium cation were synthesized and their uses as dual solvent−catalysts for Fischer esterification
reactions of acetic acid, metacetonic acid, and benzoic acid with ethanol, butanol, and benzyl alcohol were
investigated. The reactions were completed smoothly at room temperature to 110 °C for 1.5−3.0 h with good
yields of 88−95%. The results indicate that catalytic activity depends on anion acidity and the solubility of
the starting material in TSILs. The increasing of the anion's acidity improves the catalytic activity of the
TSILs. Furthermore, the produced esters could be separated by decantation after the reaction and the TSILs
could be reused without noticeably decreasing the catalytic activity.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.