An efficient, practical and cost-effective polymer-supported catalyst for the transesterification of methyl methacrylate by 1-butanol

Abstract

A straightforward and cost-effective synthesis of a polymer-supported titanium alkoxide catalyst is reported. The described synthesis involves cheap, readily available and relatively non toxic chemicals, solvents and workup procedures. Efficiency and stability of the catalyst were tested in a laboratory-scale continuous flow reactor under equilibrium conditions over a month period. The average daily titanium leaching was estimated to less than 1% of the total amount of titanium engaged. To our knowledge, this result is the best obtained, to date, concerning the use of heterogeneous titanate for the catalysis of transesterification reactions.