A PROCESS FOR PRODUCING METHYL ESTERS OF LINEAR SATURATED CARBOXYLIC ACIDS FROM ETHYLENE AND METHANOL

摘要

1275370 Methyl esters from ethylene and methanol; phosphine-carbon monoxide-ruthenium complexes SHELL INTERNATIONALE RESEARCH MAATSCHAPPIJ NV 10 Dec 1970 [12 Dec 1969] 58617/70 Headings C2C and C2P Methyl esters of linear saturated carboxylic acids are prepared by contacting ethylene with methanol in the liquid phase at a temperature of from 175‹ to 250‹ C. in the presence of a catalyst comprising ruthenium in complex combination with carbon monoxide and triaryl phosphine ligand, no free carbon monoxide being introduced into the reaction zone. The catalyst is suitably of the formula (R 3 P) 2 Ru(CO) 3 wherein R is an unsubstituted or substituted phenyl group, e.g. phenyl, p-methoxyphenyl, or an alkyl or haloalkyl phenyl group having 7 to 9 carbon atoms. The catalyst may be obtained either (a) by contacting the phosphine ligand (R 3 P) with a solution (preferably non-aqueous) of an organic or inorganic ruthenium salt (e.g. the chloride or octanoate) in the presence of CO, or (b) by heating a ruthenium carbonyl complex [Ru(CO) 4 ] 3 with the phosphine ligand.