Isobaric Vapor-Liquid Equilibrium for Ethyl Acetate-Isopropanol-1-Octyl-3-Methylimidazolium Tetrafluoroborate

In order to study the possibility of separating ethyl acetate and isopropanol by extractive distillation with ILs as an entrainer. Isobaric vapor-liquid equilibrium data for ethyl acetate + isopropanol+1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([OMIM]BF4) ternary system at 101.32 kPa were determined using a recirculating still. The results showed that the ionic liquid (IL) studied produced a notable salting-out effect, which enhanced the relative volatility of ethyl acetate to isopropanol and eliminated the azeotrope when the mole fraction of IL in the liquid phase was greater than 0.10. Therefore, [OMIM]BF4 can be used as the extraction agent of extractive distillation for ethyl acetate + isopropanol systerm, the suitable mole fraction of [OMIM]BF4 is about 20%. The experimental data were correlated with the NRTL model, the correlated results agreed well with the experimental data.