Acetic Acid → 3-Hexanone

Participants

Reaction Steps

Kirk-Othmer i.b.i.d. discloses that unsymmetrical dialkyl ketones are prepared by passing vapors of two different fatty acids over an alkaline earth oxide at elevated temperatures. It is stated that the product necessarily contains the three possible ketones and in the example given a mixture of acetic acid and butyric acid are reacted in the vapor phase at 300° C. on a manganese dioxide catalyst to produce 16% methyl ethyl ketone, 24% propyl butyl ketone and 60% ethyl propyl ketone.

Provenance & Evidence