Tetraethylammonium hydrogen carbonate: A cheap, efficient, and recyclable catalyst for transesterification reactions under solvent-free conditions

Tetraethylammonium hydrogen carbonate (TEAHC) was proven to be an efficient catalyst for transesterification reactions in the absence of solvent. The reaction between isopropenyl or ethyl acetate and an alcohol (not efficient in the absence of catalyst) was induced by the presence of TEAHC, which seems to assist the proton transfer from the alcohol to the ester, yielding the corresponding acetate in very good yields in the absence of any solvent. Moreover, the TEAHC can be recycled several times without significant loss in activity. [GRAPHICS]