Group VI sulfides
were synthesized via coprecipitation of elemental
sulfur and metal hexacarbonyl and characterized with XRD, XPS, and
TEM. These materials were then demonstrated as active catalysts for
the acceptorless dehydrogenative coupling of neat ethanol to ethyl
acetate, rapidly reaching equilibrium conversion and up to 90% selectivity.
Other primary alcohols form the corresponding esters, while diols
formed the corresponding cyclic ethers and oligomers
