Hydrogen bonding-catalysed alcoholysis of propylene oxide at room temperature
Yueting Xu, Yanfei Zhao, Fengtao Zhang, Yuepeng Wang, Ruipeng Li, Junfeng Xiang, Zhimin Liu
Abstract
Alcoholysis of propylene oxide (PO) is achieved over azolate ionic liquids (IL, e.g., 1-hydroxyethyl-3-methyl imidazolium imidazolate) at room temperature, accessing glycol ethers in high yields with excellent selectivity (e.g., >99%). Mechanism investigation indicates that cooperation of hydrogen-bonding of the anion with methanol and that of the cation with PO catalyses the reaction.
Topics & Concepts
Propylene oxideCatalysisIonic liquidSelectivityChemistryHydrogen bondIonic bondingOxideHydrogenPolyvinyl alcoholInorganic chemistryOrganic chemistryPhotochemistryChemical engineeringPolymer chemistryEthylene oxidePolymerMoleculeIonCopolymerEngineeringIonic liquids properties and applicationsCatalysis and Oxidation ReactionsOxidative Organic Chemistry Reactions