Dear experts in the field of chemical engineering, I would like to ask that esterification reactions produce water, and currently benzene is used as a dehydrating agent. Is there any alternative dehydrating agent that can replace benzene?
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Dear gods of HaiChuan, may I ask that for acetate compounds, the boiling point of esters is between 145–175°C. Benzene is currently used as a dehydrating agent, but esters contain trace amounts of benzene. To remove benzene from esters, a different dehydrating agent needs to be selected. I ask the great deity of Haichuan for help: are there any good desiccants? Chemical Engineering Discussions
Other light hydrocarbons with a boiling point similar to that of benzene can be used to replace benzene. The benzene here is not actually a dehydrating agent, but rather a entraining solvent that removes water from the esterification reaction system and enables the separation of water. Any organic solvent that is insoluble in water and has a boiling point slightly lower than that of water will do.