Rhodium zeolites methanol carbonylation

Carbonylation and decarbonylation reactions of alkyl complexes in catalytic cycles have been reviewed . A full account of the carbonylation and homologation of formic and other carboxylic acid esters catalysed by Ru/CO/I systems at 200 C and 150-200 atm CO/H2 has appeared. In a novel reaction, cyclobutanones are converted to disiloxycyclopentenes with hydrosilane and CO in the presence of cobalt carbonyl (reaction 4) . The oxidative addition of Mel to [Rh(CO)2l2] in aprotic solvents (MeOH, CHCI3, THF, MeOAc), the rate determining step in carbonylation of methyl acetate and methyl halides, is promoted by iodides, such as Bu jN+I", and bases (eg 1-methylimidazole) . A further kinetic study of rhodium catalysed methanol carbonylation has appeared . The carbonylation of methanol by catalysts prepared by deposition of Rh complexes on silica alumina or zeolites is comparable with the homogeneous analogue . 

Carbonylation of organic substrates was investigated using these well defined complexes. These carbonyl compounds exhibited catalytic properties in the carbonylation of organic substrates. In particular methanol carbonylation to methyl acetate in the gas phase was successfully attempted. Mechanistic and kinetic studies of this reaction over rhodium and iridium zeolites showed the similarities between the homogeneous and the zeolite mediated reactions. Aromatic ni-tro compounds were also converted to aromatic isocyanates using similar catalytic systems. The mechanistic aspect of this reaction will be also examined. 

Early studies by Scurrell and coll, demonstrated the use of rhodium zeolites as catalysts for the carbonylation of methanol into methyl acetate in the presence of methyl iodide (65). It was hoped that due to their electrostatic field zeolites would effect the direct carbonylation of methanol without the help of the iodide promoter. In fact, as the CH3OH/CH3I ratio increased, increasing amounts of CH4 and CO2 were produced indicating that the reaction... 

Lefebvre et al. (170) have conducted the high pressure CO + H2 reaction (30 atm, 503-523 K) over Rh-NaY catalysts. Whatever the rhodium precursors [e.g., Rh -NaY and Rh (CO)2-NaY], the reaction data were similar. This is in agreement with the fact that all the precursors were ultimately converted to Rh6(CO),6 under catalytic conditions. The external Rh crystals deposited on the zeolite surface exhibit significant activity for hydrocarbons, mainly methane, whereas the carbonyl clusters gave lower conversion to hydrocarbons with a small amount of oxygenates such as methanol and ethanol. 

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