Effect of the properties of MFI zeolites on the esterification of isopentyl acetate

• MFI zeolites with different aluminum contents were used to obtain isopentyl acetate. • Catalysts MFI with larger external surface obtained better catalytic performance. • The esterification over MFI occurs at the external surface of the particles. • The esterification reaction is limited by the internal diffusion. Fusel oil is a by-product from the fermentation of sugar to produce ethanol. With the increase in ethanol production in the last years, thousands of liters of fusel oil are also generated. Thus, alternatives for reusing fusel oil involving the transformation of isopentanol, its main constituent, into products relevant to industry have aroused interest. In this work, the use of MFI zeolites with different contents of aluminum in the transformation of isopentyl into its ester, isopentyl acetate, was studied. Its main objective was to investigate the effects of the aluminum content of zeolites on textural and chemical properties and how they influence the catalytic activity. In the work it was verified that the catalysts with larger external surface obtained better catalytic performance, suggesting that, due to the small pore diameter of the MFI structure, the reaction is limited by the effects of internal diffusion and occurs mainly at the external surface of the MFI particles.