PREPARATION OF EARTH PHOSPHATE CATALYSTS FROM CARBONATE SALTS AND THEIR USE IN ALKOXYLATION REACTIONS

摘要

A method is provided for ensuring production of efficient rare earth metal phosphate catalysts for alkoxylation of organic compounds. The method comprises: selecting as a reactant one or more carbonate salts of the one or more rare earth metals; reacting the one or more carbonate salts with a source of phosphate under conditions effective to produce the efficient rare earth metal phosphate catalysts; wherein the efficient rare earth metal phosphate catalysts provide an increased activity for the alkoxylation compared to the activity of substantially the same catalyst produced when one or more salts other than carbonate salts of the rare earth metals are selected as the reactant.