title: Novel synthesis of methoxymethyl benzene by electrochemical coupling reaction of toluene with methanol in ionic liquid media.
abstract: An ionic liquid (1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium dibutyl phosphate) was prepared and characterized by cyclic voltammogram (CV) and Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FT-IR). The ionic liquid exhibited good catalytic activity for the electrochemical reaction of toluene with methanol assisted with a pair of porous graphite plane electrodes and product yield higher than 56% was observed. In addition, the electrochemical process was detected by UV-vis spectrum and the products were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). According to the experimental results, a possible free radical reaction mechanism was proposed. It may be concluded that a simply and feasible electrochemical coupling reaction at room temperature and atmospheric pressure may be possible. Compared with methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), the main product (methoxymethyl benzene) used as booster to improve fuel combustion was also studied.
authors.affiliation: College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, PR China.
authors.forename: Fengtao
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hongzhu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D001555:Benzene Derivatives / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D055664:Electrochemical Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D004736:Energy-Generating Resources; D052578:Ionic Liquids / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D000432:Methanol / Q000737:chemistry*; D008738:Methyl Ethers / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D014050:Toluene / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D001555:Benzene Derivatives; D052578:Ionic Liquids; D008738:Methyl Ethers; C541782:methoxymethylbenzene; D014050:Toluene; D000432:Methanol