**3.2 Equipment setup and experimental procedure**

#### *3.2.1 Batch reactor setup*

A schematic representation of the batch reactor setup is shown in **Figure 1**. All the batch experiments were performed in a jacketed reactor setup equipped with a 250 mL reactor fitted with a coiled condenser. The pitch blade turbine was used as an agitator for conducting experiments. The head of the reactor had 5 ports, of which one was used for a temperature probe (T), other for the agitator shaft, a third for condenser along with nitrogen vent, fourth was used for inserting conductivity probe (C), and the fifth one for dosing reagents.
