PROMOTION BY PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS OF RUTHENIUM-CATALYZED METHYL FORMATE HOMOLOGATION

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0022-328X(00)89023-3

Trivalent phosphorus compounds are promoters for methyl formate homologation to ethanol and ethyl formate catalyzed by ruthenium compounds in the presence of iodide at 220 deg C and 27 MPa of synthesis gas.Under these conditions the phosphines are quaternized, but decomposition of phosphonium salts occurs during the reaction.Promotion is also observed for methyltriphenylphosphonium bromide and triphenylphosphine sulfide, but benzyltrimethylammonium bromide, triphenylarsine, and triphenylantimony are not effective.The major ruthenium species present is Ru(CO)3I3 <*> but with triphenylantimony a trimethylantimony complex, Ru(CO)2(Sb(CH3)3)2I2, can be isolated in high yield.