A highly efficient layered double hydroxide catalyst for direct ethoxylation of butyl acetate to oligo‐ethylene glycol butyl ether acetates

A novel synthetic route that directly inserts ethylene oxide into butyl acetate without any labile hydrogen to produce oligo-ethylene glycol butyl ether acetates is developed using an efficient acid-base bifunctional catalyst. The layered double hydroxide materials, which have structures similar to that of hydrotalcite, are synthesized using co-precipitation methods. After modification by organic acid, the as-prepared catalysts exhibit higher butyl acetate conversion and ethylene oxide catalytic activity with narrow ethylene glycol butyl ether acetate adduct distribution. Copyright (C) 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.