[lukas.stib]

Hello chemists,

I want to make methyl salicylate, and I have a mixture of salicylic acid and methanol. I have 250 grams of salicylic acid and 58 g methanol by stoichiometry, but I used a very large excess, I´m using a total of about 240 g of methanol. But now I don't know how much to add sulfuric acid as a catalyst? Should I use about 60 ml or more?

Thank you, Lukáš S.

[chenbeier]

I think this is to much, I would tes 2 to 5 ml sulfuric.

[lukas.stib]

I have heard that it is supposed to give more sulfuric acid, that helps to bind water and helps to esterification...

[lukas.stib]

And I used a very large excess, so I think there should be more sulfuric acid...

[AWK]

These are typical proportions allowing yield about 80 %.

[lukas.stib]

OK, thank you very much.