Synthesis of methyl acetoacetate from acetone and dimethyl carbonate with alkali-promoted MgO catalysts

✍ Scribed by Dudu Wu; Zhi Chen

• Book ID: 111491403
• Publisher: Versita
• Year: 2010
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 461 KB
• Volume: 64
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0366-6352
• DOI: 10.2478/s11696-010-0068-9

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

The synthesis of methyl acetoacetate (MAA) by methoxycarbonylation of acetone with dimethyl carbonate (DMC) was carried out in the presence of MgO and alkali-promoted MgO catalysts. From among Li, Na, K, and Cs, potassium was found to be the most effective promoter to improve the activity of MgO. The effect of K/MgO with variable content of K was also investigated, and the individual catalysts were characterised by the XRD, BET, SEM, CO2-TPD, and in situ CO2 IR techniques. The results showed that the addition of a small amount of K (1.97 mass %) could promote MAA formation, but a higher K loading caused a decrease in the yield of MAA, which might result from particle agglomeration and the presence of stable potassium carbonates. In situ FTIR experiments of co-adsorbed reactants indicated that the reaction probably proceeded via abstraction of Hα from acetone by base sites.