Acetic Acid → 2-Propenoic acid, 3-phenyl-, methyl ester

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

In contradistinction to the above experiment, another experiment was run utilizing a solid catalyst. To a 300 cc. stirred, stainless steel autoclave was added 0.5 mole of benzene, 0.10 mole of methyl acrylate, 0.50 mole of glacial acetic acid, 0.002 mole of cupric acetate monohydrate and 0.002 mole of palladium black powder. The latter comprised a solid catalyst and was used in place of the palladium (II) acetylacetonate which was the soluble catalyst in the above experiment. The autoclave was sealed and pressured to 1500 pounds per square inch gauge with air. Thereafter the autoclave was stirred, heated to a temperature of 120°C. and maintained thereat for a period of 6 hours. During this reaction period, the bulk of the palladium powder remained in solid form and did not dissolve in the reaction medium. As in the above example, liquid samples were again periodicially withrawn during the reaction time and analyzed by means of gas chromatography. After 6 hours of reaction, it was noted that there had been only a 10% conversion of the methyl acrylate and only a 10% yield of methyl cinnamate, the desired product, based on the methyl acrylate charged.

Provenance & Evidence