Heterogeneous soft acid catalysis of the sucrose hydrolysis

Using a micro-calorimetrical DSC we have compared the acid-catalyzed inversion of sucrose in homogeneous and heterogeneous systems. Acetic acid was chosen as catalyst for homogeneous system, and several carboxylic cationites were used as heterogeneous catalysts. The kinetic apparent parameters (A, E, k _ap) for all the systems were calculated from DSC data with Friedmann’s method and catalytic constant, k₃₂₃^cat, was further inferred. We found that the specific catalyst efficiency, q _cat, in heterogeneous system is over 5000 times higher than in case of homogeneous ones. The activity of heterogeneous carboxylic systems is still about 30 times larger than those of a strong mineral acid in homogeneous catalysis. The results indicate the high efficiency of heterogeneous systems for soft acid catalysis of the sucrose hydrolysis.