Esterification of C2?C16 dicarboxylic acids to n-butyl esters in aqueous solutions for their gas chromatographic analysis

Summary C₂–C₁₆ dicarboxylic acids were esterified in aqueous solution in the presence of sulfuric acid. Esterification in water/n-butanol mixtures with mole ratios between 0.02 and 2.53 can be utilized for the quantitative determination of the dicarboxylic acids by gas chromatography. The presence of water does not interfere at water/n-butanol mole ratios below 0.27. For mole ratios above 0.27 anhydrous sodium sulfate has been used for binding the water. The mole ratio range was 0.25–0.75 for anhydrous sodium sulfate/water, and 0.32–1.3 for sulfuric acid/anhydrous sodium sulfate.