KINETICS AND MECHANISM OF CATALYTIC SYNTHESIS OF DIMETHYL OXALATE BY OXIDATIVE CARBONYLATION OF METHANOL. I. CATALYTIC SYSTEM PdC12/LiC/p-BENZOQUINONE/METHANOL.

A kinetic study has been made of the selective synthesis of dimethyl oxalate by carbonylation of methanol at 20-30 degree C and atmospheric pressure in the system PdCl//2/LiCl/p-benzoquinone/methanol in the presence of benzoate buffer. The kinetics of the model reaction of AcOHgCOOCH//3 with p-benzoquinone in the presence of PdCl//2 have been studied under the same conditions. On the basis of the data obtained, a mechanism is proposed for the synthesis of dimethyl oxalate in solutions of PdCl//2.