In the first step in the manufacture of the over-the counter pain medication ibuprofen, isobutylbenzene (C10H14) and acetic anhydride (C4H6O3) react over a hydrogen catalyst to make isobutylacetophenone (C12H16O), with acetic acid (CH3COOH) as the byproduct.
C10H14 + C4H16O-----> C12H16) + CH3COOH
1200 gmol isobutylbenzene/h and 1200 gmol acetic anhydride/h are fed to a continous-flow steady state reactor. Chemical analysis of the exit stream from the reactor reveals that the stream contains 42 mol% acetic acid. What is the rate of consumption of isobutylbenzene inside the reactor? What is the flow rate of isobutylbenzene out of the reactor? What is the fractional conversion?