Octanoic Acid → Pentaerythrityl tetracaprylate

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

526 g (1.7 moles) of the POE(4) pentaerythritol prepared in (a) above was charged to a flask for esterification having standard apparatus for agitation, heating and distillation. Agitation and a dry nitrogen sparge were started, and 1074 g (7.4 moles) of caprylic acid (alkyl chain 98% minimum C8 acid value 388 mg KOH/g) and 0.8 g of hypophosphorous acid solution (50%) were added. The contents were heated to 180° C. with the removal of the water of esterification by distillation and held at 180°-190° C. until all water was removed. The hydroxyl number of the contents was checked, and the reaction was continued at 180°-190° C. until a maximum hydroxyl number of 5.0 mg KOH/g was reached, indicating greater than 99% conversion to the ester. A vacuum was pulled via the distillation system to 30 inches and the contents were stirred at 190° C. to remove the unreacted caprylic acid by distillation. The Acid value of the contents was checked, and the acid removal was continued at 180°-190° C. until a maximum acid value of 1.0 mg KOH/g was reached. The contents were then cooled to 70° C. and filtered to yield a compound of the formula

Provenance & Evidence