Synthesis of α-Terpineol from Turpentine by Hydration in a Batch Reactor

Turpentine is natural essential oil obtained by distillation of the raw oleoresin collected from pine trees, in which α-pinene is the main component of most turpentine oils. Turpentine from Indonesia contains 65-85 % α-pinene , 1% camphene, 1-3% β-pinene, 10-18 % 3-carene and limonene 1-3%. When treated with water in the presence of acid catalyst, α-pinene is hydrated to α-terpineol which can be used as perfume, repellent of insect, antifungal and disinfectant. This work presents the result of α-terpineol synthesis by hydration of turpentine. The study investigates that the effect of catalyst (sulfuric acid, chloro acetic acid), temperature (60, 70, 80, 90oC), the mol ratio of chloro acetic acid to α-pinene (0.8/1; 1.6/1; 2.4/1; 3.2/1; 4/1), and stirring rate (264, 546, 954 rpm). It suggested that the best condition for the hydration of turpentine was achieved at temperature of 80oC, reaction time of 240 min, mol ratio of chloro acetic acid catalyst to α-pinene of 2.4/1 and the stirring rate of 546 rpm. The conversion of hydration of turpentine to α-terpineol was obtained to be 54.13%.