Catalytic Performance of Synthesized Solid Acids in Methyl Acetate Esterification: A Comparative Study

Solid acid catalysts are essential for various catalytic processes due to their high activity, stability, and reusability. In this study, four chlorosulfonic acid-functionalized solid acid catalysts—Silica Gel, Granular Activated Carbon, High Impact Polystyrene, and Alumina—were synthesized and characterized using elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis. These techniques revealed important information about the elemental composition, structural characteristics, and surface morphology of the catalysts. We evaluated the catalytic performance of these materials Solid acid, Heterogeneous catalysis, Esterification, High Impact Polystyrene.in the esterification of AcOH with MeOH, a model reaction for acid-catalyzed processes. Significant variations in catalytic activity were observed, with conversion values ranging from 20% to 66.7%, corresponding to differences in textural properties and the distribution of acid sites. Among the catalysts studied, HIPS-SA exhibited the highest catalytic efficiency, achieving a conversion and yield of approximately 66.7% with nearly 100% selectivity. This demonstrates the importance of support type and surface functionalization in enhancing catalytic performance. The findings of this study offer valuable insights into the structure-activity relationships of solid acid catalysts, contributing to the development of more efficient heterogeneous catalysts for esterification reactions and other acid-catalyzed processes.