Transesterification Reaction of Tetraethoxysilane and Butyl Alcohols

Abstract Tetraethoxysilane was treated with Amberlyst 15 cation-exchange resin in the presence of butyl alcohols. On treating the mixture of tetraethoxysilane and 1-butanol, the transesterification took place in which butoxyl groups were substituted for ethoxyl groups in tetraethoxysilane. The degree of the transesterification depended on the molar ratio of tetraethoxysilane to 1-butanol of the mixture. The distribution of alkoxysilane species present in the tetraethoxysilane–1-butanol solution was compared with the tetrabutoxysilane–ethanol solution, and it was found that the degree of the transesterification depended on the ratio of numbers of alkyl groups in tetraalkoxysilane and alcohol used. The time required for equilibrium in the distribution of alkoxysilane species in the solution was different with the variety of butyl alcohols used, suggesting the presence of steric effect of butyl alcohols on this reaction.