Jayasree, S.P. Gupte and R.V. Chaudhari

Chemical Engineering Division, National Chemical Laboratory, Pune-8 ABSTRACT 

Benzyl chloride, carbonylation, phase transfer catalysis, phenyl acetic acid 1. INTRODUCTION 

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed, e-mail at rvc ems.ncl.res.in 

Apart from phenyl acetic acid, benzyl alcohol (BA), dibenzyl ketone (DBK) and toluene are obtained as side products. 

The aim of this study was to understand the role of different phase transfer catalysts, the PTC concentration, different organic solvents and ligand to Pd ratio on the activity of the Pd complex catalyst (Pd(PPh3)2Cl2) and the selectivity to phenyl acetic acid in the carbonylation of benzylchloride. 

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