Ethyl　acetate　(EtAc)　is　mainly　used　as　solvent　in　paints　and　coatings　industry,　inks　production　and　as　industrial　solvent　in　many　other　branches　of　industry.　Esterification　of　acetic　acid　with　ethanol　may　be　performed　to　synthesize　ethyl　acetate.　In　this　paper,　a　reactive　distillation　(RD)　column　with　packing　cation　exchange　resins　as　a　catalyst　is　applied.　Mathematical　models　of　reactive　distillation　are　based　on　the　conventional　distillation　process　with　supplementary　equations　added　to　model　the　reactions　present.　Column　simulations　performed　here　using　Aspen　Plus　show　excellent　agreement　with　experimental　data　for　the　EtAc　system.　A　sensitive　analysis　was　performed　to　determine　the　effects　of　key　design　and　operating　variables　on　column　performance　and,　subsequently,　an　optimal　column　configuration　was　obtained.　©　2010　IEEE.