Acetic Acid → Methyl diacetate

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

A 1-liter, magnetically stirred autoclave was charged with 0.001 mol of Rh(CO)2Cl, sealed and flushed with nitrogen followed by carbon monoxide. The autoclave was then charged with 1 mol of methyl acetate, 1 mol of trioxane, 0.5 mol of acetic acid and 0.056 mol of hydrogen iodide. The autoclave was sealed, pressured to 1000 psig with carbon monoxide, and rapidly heated to 200° C. After 16 hours at 200° C., the reaction was terminated, the autoclave was opened and the reaction mixture analyzed by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy and gas-liquid chromatography. The conversion of methyl acetate was 49% and the yield of methylene bis-acetate, ##STR9## based on converted methyl acetate, was 28%.

Provenance & Evidence