To obtain the kinetics parameters for the complex reaction system, a more intellectualized hybrid evolutionary algorithm was developed. In this new method, the normal genetic algorithm (GA) was modified with adaptive multi-annealing crossover and mutation strategies instead of simple strategy. The multi-pattern evolution was also adapted to improve the search efficiency. This hybrid algorithm not only avoids the problem of local optimum, but shows a higher estimating precision and a better convergence than that the normal GA. By using this algorithm, the kinetics parameters for the synthesis of ethyl tert-amyl ether from ethanol and tert-amyl alcohol over strongly acidic cation exchange resin (Ambelyst 15 (A-15)) as catalyst were successfully estimated. The calculated results using the parameters obtained from the hybrid evolutionary algorithm agree well with the experimental data. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.