Catalytic Conversion of Diethyl Tartrate into Pyruvate over Silica-Supported Potassium Disulfate

Article abstract of DOI:10.1246/bcsj.65.2083

Potassium hydrogensulfate (KHSO4), which melts at a lower temperature of 197 deg, was adapted for vapor-phase fixed-bed flow operations as a silica-supported potassium disulfate (K2S2O7/SiO2) to afford 60percent ethyl pyruvate continuously from the tartrate at 300 deg C.The catalyst was effective for the intramolecular dehydration of glycol moieties, much less active for hydrolysis of esters, and capable of converting enol- to keto-form for the intermediate oxalacetate in favor of pyruvate.A TGA analysis revealed that KHSO4 was converted to K2S2O7 at 300 deg C, this was in consistent with the XRD analysis.