N-Phenylphthalimide → Phthalic Anhydride

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

A mixture of 2.32 parts of maleic acid, 2.23 parts of N-phenyl phthalimide and 20 parts of water is heated under sealed conditions for 2 hours at 180° C. The reaction mixture is then allowed to cool to ambient conditions and distilled under vacuum. Maleic anhydride is initially recovered followed by phthalic anhydride and N-phtnyl maleimide. There is obtained a yield of 16% by weight of phthalic anhydride and 14.1% by weight of N-phenylmaleimide.

Provenance & Evidence