Gas-Phase Carbonylation of Dimethoxymethane to Methyl Methoxyacetate on Solid Acids: The Effect of Acidity on the Catalytic Activity

Abstract

The gas-phase carbonylation reaction of dimethoxymethane (DMM) to methyl methoxyacetate on different solid acids was studied. It was established that this reaction was accompanied by the occurrence of a side reaction of DMM disproportionation into dimethyl ether and methyl formate. It was shown that the activity of solid acids in both of the reactions depends on the strength of Brønsted acid sites according to an equation like the Brønsted–Evans–Polanyi–Semenov correlations.