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Catalytic Disproportionation of Formic Acid to Methanol by using Recyclable Silylformates
Author(s) -
Chauvier Clément,
Imberdis Arnaud,
Thuéry Pierre,
Cantat Thibault
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
angewandte chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1521-3757
pISSN - 0044-8249
DOI - 10.1002/ange.202002062
Subject(s) - disproportionation , methanol , formic acid , chemistry , catalysis , reagent , yield (engineering) , ruthenium , hydrolysis , silylation , aqueous solution , organic chemistry , materials science , metallurgy
A novel strategy to prepare methanol from formic acid without an external reductant is presented. The overall process described herein consists of the disproportionation of silyl formates to methoxysilanes, catalyzed by ruthenium complexes, and the production of methanol by simple hydrolysis. Aqueous solutions of MeOH (>1 mL, >70 % yield) were prepared in this manner. The sustainability of the reaction has been established by recycling of the silicon‐containing by‐products with inexpensive, readily available, and environmentally benign reagents.