Methyl Acetate → Dimethyl malonate

Participants

Reaction Steps

In a one-liter glass flask equipped with stirrer, 2 dropping funnels, a reflux condenser, a glass electrode and a glass inlet tube for carbon monoxide, 108.5 g (1 mole) of chloroacetic acid methyl ester is reacted for 61/2 hours with 1 mole of potassium methylate (28.75% solution in methanol) in the presence of 10 g of Co2 (CO)8, at 70° C., 0.8 at. CO, and a pH of approximately 8.5. The processing yields 119 g of malonic acid dimethyl ester (90% yield), and small amounts of acetic acid methyl ester and methoxyacetic acid methyl ester, plus 5 g of higher-boiling substances.

Provenance & Evidence