Use of Nitrogenous Bases as Promoters of the Reaction of Ethylene Carboalkoxylation on a Cobalt Catalyst

Abstract

Carbonylation of ethylene on cobalt catalysts in the presence of promoters was studied. It was shown that aromatic nitrogenous bases improve the stability of the catalytic system based on cobalt dioctacarbonyl and enable the carbonylation of ethylene in propanol-1 under substantially milder conditions, compared with the absence of a promoter. The carbonylation of ethylene in propanol-1 yields propyl propionate and diethyl ketone as products. Phenanthroline and 4-N, N-dimethylaminopyridine were found to be the most effective among the promoters studied. The modification of cobalt dioctacarbonyl with phenanthroline and 4-N, N-dimethylaminopyridine favors an increase in the reaction selectivity with respect to diethyl ketone and propyl propionate, respectively.