Adipic Acid → Dimethyladipate

Participants

Reaction Steps

According to a process described in J. Org. Chem. 24, 261 (1959), methyl esters of carboxylic acid are obtained by the reaction of carboxylic acids with methanol in the presence of acetone dimethyl acetal, the dimethyl acetal acting as a hydrophilic agent and supplier of methanol. If adipic acid, methanol and acetone dimethyl acetal are reacted in a molar ratio of 4:5:8, a 94% yield of dimethyladipate is obtained. The economy of this procedure is impaired by the fact that the use of acetone dimethyl acetal increases the raw material costs, and the formation of acetone during the course of the reaction increases the amount of distillation required.

Provenance & Evidence