PURPOSE: Oxidation of liquid ethanol in the presence of excess liquid ethanol and a supported oxidation catalyst provides a one step process for production of ethyl acetate. CONSTITUTION: A present invention provides a single step, single vessel conversion of ethanol to ethyl acetate. The first part of the process is the partial oxidation of part of the ethanol to acetic acid by oxygen (or air), and the second part is the esterification of the acetic acid with a second part of the ethanol. The first reaction is catalyzed by a palladium type catalyst, while the second reaction proceeds spontaneously or can be catalyzed by a solid ion exchange resin in the acid form. The catalysts can be mixed so that the reactions proceed in parallel, or separated so that the reactions proceed sequentially. The products of reaction are limited to ethyl acetate, acetic acid, acetaldehyde and water. The feed ethanol can be either pure ethanol or commercial ethanol (constant boiling or lower purity). The reaction system is well suited for a trickle bed catalytic type process. Because water is present, the oxidation reaction is enhanced if the oxidation catalyst, Pd, is supported on a hydrophobic carrier.
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