Transesterification between isoamyl acetate and ethanol in supercritical CO2, ionic liquid, and their mixture

Abstract The transesterification between isoamyl acetate and ethanol in supercritical (SC) CO 2 , 1- n -butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([bmim][PF 6 ], a room temperature ionic liquid), and in CO 2 +[bmim][PF 6 ] mixed solvent was studied at 65.0 °C and different pressures. p -Xylenesulfonic acid (p-TSA) was used as the catalyst. Results showed that the phase behavior of the reaction system affects the equilibrium conversion of the reaction in SC CO 2 and CO 2 +[bmim][PF 6 ] considerably. The mixtures of SC CO 2 and ionic liquids, which are environmental benign solvents, may have potential applications in tuning the equilibrium conversions.