Biobased Methacrylic Acid via Selective Catalytic Decarboxylation of Itaconic Acid

We report a biobased route to methacrylic acid via selective decarboxylation of itaconic acid utilizing catalytic ruthenium carbonyl propionate in an aqueous solvent system. High selectivity (>90%) was achieved at low catalyst loading (0.1 mol %) with high substrate concentration (5.5 M) at low temperature (200–225 °C) and pressure (≤425 psig) relative to previous contributions in this area. Direct decarboxylation of itaconic acid was achieved as opposed to the conjugate base reported previously, thereby avoiding basification and acidification steps. Also investigated was catalytic manganese­(II) oxalate (5 mol %), but low yield (4.8%) and evolution of carbon monoxide via oxalate decomposition was problematic. Attempts at stabilization of the catalyst with triphenylphosphine were unsuccessful, but it exhibited greater catalytic efficacy (14.0% yield) than the manganese catalyst (4.8% yield) at 5 mol %. Neither carbon monoxide nor propylene (excessive decarboxylation) were detected during ruthenium-catalyzed decarboxylation. In addition, cosolvents such as tetraglyme lowered vapor pressures within the reaction vessel by >100 psig while minimizing decomposition of starting acids. In combination, these findings represent improvements over existing methodologies that may facilitate sustainable production of methacrylic acid, an important petrochemically based monomer for the plastics industry

Parameters Governing Ruthenium Sawhorse-Based Decarboxylation of Oleic Acid

Ruthenium-catalyzed decarboxylation of 9-cis-octadecenoic is a path to produce biobased olefins. Here, a mechanistic study of this reaction was undertaken utilizing a closed reaction system and a pressure reactor. The proposed mechanism of an isomerization followed by a decarboxylation reaction was consistent with a mathematical kinetic model. That same model was able to accurately predict CO₂ evolution. Additionally, computational chemistry was used to determine that the barrier of the oleic acid decarboxylation reaction is 249 kJ mol^–1. Using the new information, the efficacy of the decarboxylation reaction was improved to an overall catalytic efficiency of 850 total turnovers

Parameters Governing Ruthenium Sawhorse-Based Decarboxylation of Oleic Acid

Ruthenium-catalyzed decarboxylation of 9-cis-octadecenoic is a path to produce biobased olefins. Here, a mechanistic study of this reaction was undertaken utilizing a closed reaction system and a pressure reactor. The proposed mechanism of an isomerization followed by a decarboxylation reaction was consistent with a mathematical kinetic model. That same model was able to accurately predict CO₂ evolution. Additionally, computational chemistry was used to determine that the barrier of the oleic acid decarboxylation reaction is 249 kJ mol^–1. Using the new information, the efficacy of the decarboxylation reaction was improved to an overall catalytic efficiency of 850 total turnovers