Abstract
Metal complexes have been used as catalysts in alkene transformation reactions to produce alcohols, esters, and organic acids as potential raw materials for the manufacture of detergents, perfumes, and other fine chemicals. Herein, we report the use of palladium(II) and ruthenium complexes as efficient catalyst precursors for the methoxycarbonylation, hydrogenolysis, and ethoxylation reactions of higher alkenes. The palladium catalysts showed high chemoselectivity (> 98 %) and regioselectivities of about 40 % towards the formation of esters and branched isomers, respectively. Subsequent hydrogenolysis of the esters to the corresponding alcohols was achieved using ruthenium catalysts. Reactions of the esters and alcohols with ethylene oxide using calcinated aluminum oxide catalysts produced the corresponding alcohol and methyl ester ethoxylates, respectively. The identity of the phosphine derivatives, catalyst loading, reaction time, temperature, and pressure were found to influence the catalytic activity and regioselectivity of the complexes.