The esterification of benzyl alcohol with acetic acid has been studied over zeolites Hbeta, HY, and HZSM5. In the case of zeolites Hbeta and HY, apart from the expected product benzyl acetate, dibenzyl ether was also formed. In the absence of a catalyst and also over zeolite HZSM5 only the ester was formed. Acidic sites responsible for the reaction are predominantly inside the pores of the zeolites. The pore architecture seems to influence the product selectivity. Kinetic studies have shown that the esterification reaction follows the Eley-Rideal mechanism. The energy of activation for the reaction follows the order: Hbeta < HZSM5 < HY < Blank. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.