Decarbonylation of Carboxylic Acids over H-Mordenite

Abstract

Decarbonylation of carboxylic acids is an effective reaction for alkene production but suffers from the requirement of homogeneous transitional-metal-based catalyst, ligand, and stoichiometric additive. Herein, we report the example of heterogeneous zeolite-catalyzed decarbonylation, in which acetic acid generates methyl acetate with a selectivity close to 90%, while propionic and butanoic acid provide ethylene and propylene, respectively, both with a selectivity of about 70% over pyridine-modified H-MOR. Decarbonylation of acetic acid proceeds via the generation of methanol by the cleavage of carbonyl C═O from hydrogen-bonded acetic acid and the subsequent esterification to methyl acetate. Similarly, decarbonylation of propionic and butanoic acid correspondingly result in ethanol and propanol, which dehydrate rapidly to ethylene and propylene. This finding presents additional perspectives on decarbonylation of carboxylic acids and offers an approach for production of alkenes from biomass.