Esterification kinetics in titanium isopropoxide-acetic acid solutions

FTIR observation has been used to analyze the reaction between titanium isopropoxide and acetic acid under a variety of conditions. Isopropyl acetate ester forms in these mixtures and serves as an indicator of the extent of condensation between the titanium precursors. Condensation occurs to a gradually increasing extent to form a broad spectrum of titanium oxo-acetate polymers. The temperature dependence of the time to reach observable precipitation in these solutions has also been mapped out. The activation energy for this process was found to be 0.7 eV. The precipitation times have a direct bearing on how these solutions can be used when making a wide variety of titanium containing sol-gel solutions.