NEW CS2CO3 CATALYST FOR THE WITTIG-HORNER SYNTHESIS OF ACRYLATES IN INTERFACIAL SOLID LIQUID CONDITIONS

Cesium carbonate is described as an efficient catalyst for the Witting-Horner reaction in interfacial solid-liquid conditions. This solid is more effective catalyst than potassium carbonate or activated barium hydroxide catalyst (C-200), under the same experimental conditions. Phenolic aldehydes or aldehydes with N-H group can only carry to acrylate in the presence of cesium carbonate. These aldehydes are not reactive when potassium carbonate or C-200 are used as catalysts. The synthetic method is described and the influence of the cesium carbonate structure on the yield is discussed. The mechanism of the reaction is qualitatively described in terms of the nature of adsorbed species and the influence of the solid cell lattice on the yield. The difference in the catalytic activity observed in the solid bases tested is discussed on the bases of an interfacial solid-liquid mechanism.