In the present study, the kinetics of esterification of acetic acid with isobutanol was studied by using Amberlite IR-122 as an acid catalyst. Experiments were carried out in a stirred batch reactor in dioxane at different temperatures (323 to 348 K) under atmospheric pressure. The equilibrium constant was found to be constant as 4 in the temperatures ranging from 323 to 367 K. The possible mechanism of reaction was mathematically treated using the theories of the Eley-Rideal model based on inhibition by water and isobutanol on the resins. The reaction rate constants and the adsorption coefficients for isobutanol and water were determined from the experimental data at the same temperature intervals. Furthermore, the activation energy of the esterification reaction was found to be 50.5 kJ=mol. The heat of adsorption for isobutanol and water was also calculated as À50.9 kJ=mol and À18.9 kJ=mol, respectively.

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