Iron-catalyzed cross-coupling of methanol with secondary or tertiary alcohols to produce formate esters

US10435349B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Eastman Chemical Company · US

Inventors

• Sumit Chakraborty · Johnson City, US
• Steven J. Adams · Jonesborough, US
• Robert Thomas Hembre · Johnson City, US
• Scott Donald Barnicki · Kingsport, US
• Michael Richard Laningham · Erwin, US
• Gerarld Wayne Ollis · Kingsport, US
• Randy Lynn Jennings · Big Stone Gap, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 24, 2018
• Grant date: Oct 8, 2019
• Expiry date: Jul 24, 2038

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C01B2203/048
• WIPO field: Organic fine chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A process for preparing a variety of secondary and tertiary alkyl formate esters via the coupling of methanol and secondary (or tertiary) alcohols. Iron-based catalysts, supported by pincer ligands, are employed to produce these formate esters in high yields and unprecedentedly high selectivities (>99%). Remarkably, the coupling strategy is also applicable to bulkier tertiary alcohols, which afford corresponding tertiary formate esters in moderately high yields and high selectivities.