α-Methylenation of methyl propanoate via catalytic dehydrogenation of methanol

Abstract

A one-pot system for the conversion of methyl propanoate (MeP) to methyl methacrylate (MMA) has been investigated. In particular, this study is focused on the possibility of performing catalytic dehydrogenation of methanol for the in situ production of anhydrous formaldehyde, which is then consumed in a one-pot base-catalysed condensation with MeP to afford methyl 3-hydroxy-2-methylpropanoate, which spontaneously dehydrogenates to MMA, some of which is subsequently hydrogenated to methyl 2-methypropanoate (MiBu).