Many types of reactive distillation columns have been studied in the literature. Ideal hypothetical and real chemical systems have been investigated from the standpoint of steady-state design, bifurcation phenomena, and dynamic control. Most papers dealing with ideal systems consider the quaternary ideal two-reactant, two-product chemistry A + B double left right arrow C + D. This paper explores the ideal ternary system with the chemistry A + B double left right arrow C. Two cases are considered. In the first, there are only three components. In the second, the feed contains another inert component that does not participate in the reaction but has a major impact on the structure of the column and the vapor-liquid phase equilibrium. The effects of a number of kinetic and design parameters are explored. Significant differences are observed between the system without inerts and that with inerts.