LOWER ALIPHATIC ESTER PRODUCTION PROCESS Russian patent published in 2004 - IPC

FIELD: industrial organic synthesis. SUBSTANCE: method is realized in vapor phase by bringing a lower olefin into reaction with a saturated lower aliphatic monocarboxylic acid in presence of heteropolyacid catalyst. Mixture of reactants is essentially fully freed of aldehyde impurities, content of which in reactant mixture stream before entering reactor is at least 90 ppm. Advantageously, olefin is ethylene, propylene, or their mixture, or industrial-grade olefin, and saturated lower aliphatic monocarboxylic acid is C₁-C₄-carboxylic acid at olefin-to-acid molar ratio from 1:1 to 18:1. Acetic acid is preferred. Catalyst is supported heteropolyacid or its incomplete salt. EFFECT: prolonged service life of catalyst. 19 cl, 2 tbl, 2 ex