Solvents dimethyl ether

The Grignard reaction needs a solvent containing an ether functional group (b), (0. (g). and (h) are possible solvents. Dimethyl ether, (b), is a gas at room temperature, however, so it would have to be liquefied at low temperature for it to be a useful solvent. 

In the BASF carbonylation process, methanol and CO are converted in the liquid phase (solvent dimethyl ether, water) at 250 °C and 700bar. The reaction rate depends strongly on the concentration of methanol and the partial pressure of CO. The proposed mechanism for the Co-catalyzed carbonylation of methanol is presented in detail in Example 16.6.2. Acetic acid yields are typically 90% (based on methanol) and 70% (based on carbon monoxide). Selectivities are high, with the production of 100 kg of acetic acid affording 4 kg by-products (mainly CO2, CH4, ethanol, acetaldehyde, and propionic acid). 

CH3.O-CH2.CH2-O.CH2-CHj-O.CH3. Dimethyl ether of diethylene glycol. A colour-less liquid b.p. 160 C. Typical ether, useful as a high-temperature solvent. 

Di-alkyl ethers of ethylene glycol, ROCHjCHjOR. The dimethyl ether, b.p. 85°/760 mm., is miscible with water, is a good solvent for organic compounds, and is an excellent inert reaction medium. The diethyl ether (diethyl cdloaolve), b.p. 121-57760 mm., is partially miscible with water (21 per cent, at 20°). 

Diglyme shown above the arrow in the equation is the solvent in this example Diglyme is an acronym for d/ethylene g/ycol dimethyl ether and its structure is CH3OCH2CH2OCH2CH2OCH3... 

Other Propellants. Dimethyl ether (DME) [115-10-6] is finding use as an aerosol propeUant. DME is soluble in water, as shown in Table 5. Although this solubiHty reduces DME s vapor pressure in aqueous systems, the total aerosol solvent content may be lowered by using DME as a propeUant. The chief disadvantage is that DME is flammable and must be handled with caution. 

In 1932 a class of complexes consisting of ethers, sodium, and polycycHc hydrocarbons was discovered (19). Sodium reacts with naphthalene in dimethyl ether as solvent to form a soluble, dark-green, reactive complex. The solution is electrically conductive. The reaction has been described as follows... 

The addition product, C QHgNa, called naphthalenesodium or sodium naphthalene complex, may be regarded as a resonance hybrid. The ether is more than just a solvent that promotes the reaction. StabiUty of the complex depends on the presence of the ether, and sodium can be Hberated by evaporating the ether or by dilution using an indifferent solvent, such as ethyl ether. A number of ether-type solvents are effective in complex preparation, such as methyl ethyl ether, ethylene glycol dimethyl ether, dioxane, and THF. Trimethyl amine also promotes complex formation. This reaction proceeds with all alkah metals. Other aromatic compounds, eg, diphenyl, anthracene, and phenanthrene, also form sodium complexes (16,20). 

Naphthalene sodium prepared in dimethyl ether or another appropriate solvent, or metallic sodium dissolved in Hquid ammonia or dimethyl sulfoxide, is used to treat polyfluorocarbon and other resins to promote adhesion (138—140). Sodium, usually in dispersed form, is used to desulfurize a variety of hydrocarbon stocks (141). The process is most useful for removal of small amounts of sulfur remaining after hydrodesulfurization. 

The solvent can be tailored to provide selective acid gas removal based on the Hquid—gas solubiHties. For example, the Selexol process, Hcensed by Union Carbide Corporation, uses the dimethyl ether of polyethylene glycol (DMPEG) to provide high hydrogen sulfide selectivity. The solubiHty of hydrogen sulfide in DMPEG is 8—10 times that of carbon dioxide. 

Tetrahydrofuran may be purified by refluxing over solid potassium hydroxide, followed by distillation from lithium alu-miniun hydride. Tetrahydrofuran may be replaced by ethylene glycol dimethyl ether (dimethoxyethane). The submitter has indicated that either solvent may be freed conveniently from water, alcohols, and moderate amounts of peroxides by passing the commercial solvent through a column (2 in. diameter X 2-3 ft. length) of Linde Air Products Molecular Sieves (type 13A iQ- n. pellets), at a rate of approximately 100 ml. per minute. 

Conqjutational methods can also be used to describe enolate stmcture. Most of the stmctural features of enolates are correctly modeled by B3LYP computations with dimethyl ether as the solvent molecule. Although semiempirical PM3 calculations give adequate representations of the geometries of the aggregates, the energy values are not accurate. 

Aromatic steroids are virtually insoluble in liquid ammonia and a cosolvent must be added to solubilize them or reduction will not occur. Ether, ethylene glycol dimethyl ether, dioxane and tetrahydrofuran have been used and, of these, tetrahydrofuran is the preferred solvent. Although dioxane is often a better solvent for steroids at room temperature, it freezes at 12° and its solvent effectiveness in ammonia is diminished. Tetrahydrofuran is infinitely miscible with liquid ammonia, but the addition of lithium to a 1 1 mixture causes the separation of two liquid phases, one blue and one colorless, together with the separation of a lithium-ammonia bronze phase. Thus tetrahydrofuran and lithium depress the solubilities of each other in ammonia. A tetrahydrofuran-ammonia mixture containing much over 50 % of tetrahydrofuran does not become blue when lithium is added. In general, a 1 1 ratio of ammonia to organic solvents represents a reasonable compromise between maximum solubility of steroid and dissolution of the metal with ionization. 

A solution of cholest-4-en-3-one (139), 1 g, in diethylene glycol dimethyl ether (20 ml) is treated for 1 hr with a large excess of diborane at room temperature under nitrogen and then left for a further 40 min. Acetic anhydride (10 ml) is added and the solution refluxed for 1 hr. The mixture is concentrated to a small volume, diluted with water and extracted with ether. The extracts are washed with 10% sodium hydroxide solution, then with water and dried over sodium sulfate. Removal of the solvent leaves a brown oil (1.06 g) which is purified by chromatography on alumina (activity I). Hexane elutes the title compound (141), 0.68 g mp 76-77°. Successive crystallization from acetone-methanol yields material mp 78-79°, [a]p 66°. 

In the case of 1,3-diphenylisoindole (29), Diels-Alder addition with maleic anhydride is readily reversible, and the position of equilibrium is found to be markedly dependent on the solvent. In ether, for example, the expected adduet (117) is formed in 72% yield, whereas in aeetonitrile solution the adduet is almost completely dissociated to its components. Similarly, the addition product (118) of maleic anhydride and l,3-diphenyl-2-methjdi.soindole is found to be completely dissociated on warming in methanol. The Diels-Alder products (119 and 120) formed by the addition of dimethyl acetylene-dicarboxylate and benzyne respectively to 1,3-diphcnylisoindole, show no tendency to revert to starting materials. An attempt to extrude carbethoxynitrene by thermal and photochemical methods from (121), prepared from the adduct (120) by treatment with butyl-lithium followed by ethyl chloroform ate, was unsuccessful. 

Important processes commercially used are the Selexol, the Sulfinol, and the Rectisol processes. In these processes, no chemical reaction occurs between the acid gas and the solvent. The solvent, or absorbent, is a liquid that selectively absorbs the acid gases and leaves out the hydrocarbons. In the Selexol process for example, the solvent is dimethyl ether of polyethylene glycol. Raw natural gas passes countercurrently to the descending solvent. When the solvent becomes saturated with the acid gases, the pressure is reduced, and hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide are desorbed. The solvent is then recycled to the absorption tower. Figure 1-1 shows the Selexol process. ... 

Dimethyl carbonate (DMC) is a colorless liquid with a pleasant odor. It is soluble in most organic solvents but insoluble in water. The classical synthesis of DMC is the reaction of methanol with phosgene. Because phosgene is toxic, a non-phosgene-route may be preferred. The new route reacts methanol with urea over a tin catalyst. However, the yield is low. Using electron donor solvents such as trimethylene glycol dimethyl ether and continually distilling off the product increases the yield. ... 

Ketene di(2-melhoxyethyl) acetal has been obtained by the present method with the use of diethylene glycol dimethyl ether as solvent.3 Other methods for the preparation of ketene acetals include the dehydrohalogenation of a halo acetal with potassium t-butoxide 4 and the reaction of an a-bromo orthoester with metallic sodium.5... 

Dimethyl ether is used as a propellant in aerosols. It is also a solvent, a fuel used in welding, and a refrigerant. In high concentrations, it has an anesthetic effect. 

Inert solvents such as dimethyl ether [22], liquid sulfur dioxide or petroleum ether [23] were used to improve the quality of the sulfated alcohol or the reaction conditions. Solvents immiscible in water, such as petroleum ether [24], carbon tetrachloride [25], or butyl alcohol [26], as well as water-soluble sol-... 

Aprotic solvents may also dissolve a phase-transfer catalyst to realize higher rate.sAselectivities. Thus, in a claim, dichloronitrobenzene was reacted with KF in an aprotic solvent like 2-chlorotoluene, in the presence of hexadecyltributyl phoshonium bromide /crown ether/ PEG-dimethyl ether, to give chlorofluoronitrobenzene. 

---