New aspects of the synthesis of dimethyl carbonate via carbonylation of methyl alcohol promoted by methoxycarbonyl complexes of palladium(II)

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0022-328X(93)83103-3

suspended in MeOH reacts with carbon monoxide (40-80 atm, 50 deg C), in the presence of a base such as NEt3 to give the methoxycarbonyl complex trans-.When the carbonylation reaction is carried out at 90-100 deg C reduction to Pd⁰ carbonyl-phosphine complexes occurs, with formation of dimethyl carbonate, selectively and in an almost quantitative yield.The above complexes are less reactive than the acetato-analogues, which give dimethyl oxalate as the main organic carbonylation product even at 50 deg C.