Adaptive Process Optimization for Continuous Methylation of Alcohols in Supercritical Carbon Dioxide

A self-optimizing continuous flow reactor has been developed using the Super-Modified Simplex algorithm. This system, coupled with online gas chromatographic analysis enables automated optimization via a feedback control loop without user intervention. This has been applied to the methylation of 1-pentanol in supercritical carbon dioxide using dimethyl carbonate and methanol with gamma-alumina catalyst to give 98% and similar to 68% yield of pentyl methyl ether respectively. This was accomplished by variation of four reaction parameters; Temperature, Pressure, CO(2) Flow rate, and the Ratio of methylating agent.