Ethanol → Aniline

Participants

Reaction Steps

The procedure was the same as for Example 2 with the exception that ethanol was substituted for methanol on an equal volume basis. Complete conversion of the nitrobenzene occurred in 4.5 hours at 160° C. and yielded 0.014 mole ethyl N-phenylcarbamate, and 0.058 mole additional aniline (0.108 mole total aniline). The balance (0.023 mole) appeared as by-products derived from aniline. It is thus clear that the selectivity of the ruthenium catalyzed conversion of nitrobenzene and methanol to methyl N-phenylcarbamate is higher than the selectivity of the corresponding conversion of nitrobenzene and ethanol to ethyl N-phenylcarbamate even when aniline is added in order to improve the selectivity.

Provenance & Evidence