Aiming towards the reduction of environmental impacts, novel methods to synthesize useful substances will be developed by utilizing the reactivity of the fluorine-containing compounds.

One-pot synthesis of acrylic esters

Methacrylic esters are important commodity chemicals, and there is broad application of them. Methyl methacrylate is one of the most widely used monomers and its demand is estimated to keep increasing. However, current industrial processes have some problems in response to the increasing demand, and thus novel synthetic route is required. We present here the unprecedented one-pot synthesis of the methacrylic esters from acetone, chloroform and corresponding alcohols in the presence of an organic base. Employing DBU as an organic base for the reaction of acetone, chloroform and methanol in acetonitrile at 50°C, 18 h then 80°C, 24 h afforded methyl methacrylate in 61% yield. Applicability of this process for various alcohols was also investigated.
M. Koyama, T. Kawakami, T. Okazoe, K. Nozaki Chem. Eur. J., 2019, 25, 10913–10917.

• 
• 
• Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology
  School of Engineering
  The University of Tokyo
  2-11-16 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku
  113-8656 Tokyo, Japan