Dimethoxymethane formaldehyde acetal, methylal

Formaldehyde dimethyl acetal (dimethoxymethane, methylal, formal) [109-87-5] M 76.1, m -108 , b 41-42 /736mm, 41-43 /atm, 42-46 /atm, d 0.8608, n 1.35335. It is a volatile flammable liquid which is soluble in three parts of H2O, and is readily hydrolysed by acids. Purify by shaking with an equal vol of 20% aq NaOH, stand for 20min, dry over fused CaCl2, filter and fractionally distil through an efficient column, store over molecular sieves. [Buchler et al. Org Synth Coll Vol III 469 7955 Ind Eng Chem 18 1092 1926, Rambaud and Besserre Bull Soc Chim Fr 45 7955 IR Can J Chem 36 285 7955.]... 

Steroidal methyl ethers are readily obtained from the alcohols with diazomethane and fluoroboric acid. The novel dicholesteryl acetal (132) of formaldehyde has been obtained from cholesterol, either by the anodic oxidation of a solution in aqueous acidic methanol, or by the action of sodium hydride and chloromethyl methyl ether. Dimethoxymethane undergoes partial exchange with cholesterol in acidic solution to give the methoxymethyl ether (133). ... 

Methylal [109-87-5] (formaldehyde dimethyl acetal, dimethoxymethane) is a pleasantly smelling, extremely volatile solvent. It dissolves polystyrene, polyfvinyl acetate), vinyl chloride copolymers, acrylates, methacrylates, and synthetic and natural resins. It is used in paints and lacquers, adhesives, and aerosols. Important extracting agent for natural substances, essences, and oils. It serves as a reaction medium in the chemical industry and as an intermediate for chemical syntheses. 

Methylal (Formaldehyde dimeth acetal, dimethoxymethane, methane dimethi ether)... 

Electrochemical oxidation of complex 1 in die presence of methanol leads to considerable enhancement of the oxidative currents (Figure 2), consistent with an electrocatalytic oxidation process. The onset of this catalytic current coincides with the irreversible Pt(II/IV) oxidative wave at 1.70 V. The bulk electrolysis of 1 and dry methanol were performed at 1.70 V (onset of catalytic current) in 0.7 M TBAT/DCE. Gas chromatographic analysis of the solution indicated that dimethoxymethane (DMM, formaldehyde dimethyl acetal) and methyl formate (MF) are formed (Scheme 1). This result is consistent with the electrooxidation of dry methanol on PtRu anodes, which yields DMM after acid-catalyzed condensation of the formaldehyde product with excess methanol (36). Bulk electrolysis of methanol in the presence of heterobimetallic complex 1 resulted in higher current efficiencies than those obtained from the mononuclear model compound CpRu(PPh3)2Cl (2) (Table II), No oxidation products were found when the electrolysis was performed at 1.70 V in the absence of a Ru complex or in the presence of the Pt model compound (ri -dppm)PtCl2. These results suggest that Pt enhances the catalytic activity of the Ru metal center. 

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