| abstract |
(57) [Summary] [Objective] To provide an esterification method. An improved esterification process for producing a volatile product ester by reacting a lower linear hydrocarbyl carboxylic acid with an alcohol having 2 to 10 carbon atoms in a substantially non-aqueous medium, The improvement is the use of a long-chain alkylbenzene sulfonic acid catalyst in which the alkyl group has 8 to 20 carbon atoms, or a mixture of such catalysts, as the esterification catalyst, the acidity contained in the product ester. The above method comprising minimizing the amount of sulfate. |