b'Look-AheadECO-FRIENDLY INDUSTRIAL COMPOUNDS cientists have found catalysts that improve an important in-dustrial reaction and make it more eco-friendly.Without needing high tempera-tures or toxic catalysts, scientists at Nagoya University in Japan have developedachemicalreaction that produces high yields of a com-pound used in a wide variety of industries. The approach was de-scribed in the journalACSCataly-sisand offers a useful, sustainable solution for industrial (meth)acrylate ester synthesis.(Meth)acrylate esters are used in industrial coatings and masonry and to make plastics, dyes and adhe-sives. But the chemical process for making (meth)acrylate esters from methyl (meth)acrylates involves high temperatures, long reaction timesK. Ishiharaand toxic compounds. It also canSodium and magnesium aryloxides can catalyze the transesterification of methyl (meth)-result in unwanted side reactions. acrylates at room temperature with high chemoselectivity, producing high yields of (meth)-Scientists,includingNagoyaacrylate esters without the use of toxic metals or ligands.University professor Kazuaki Ishi-hara and his colleagues, have beenrange of (meth)acrylate esters. ing the chemical reaction, showing working on improving this processIshihara and his colleagues foundthat it had high chemoselectivity. In to make it more eco-friendly. Theythat sterically bulky sodium andother words, the reaction happened specifically worked on bettering themagnesium aryloxides worked verythe way the scientists wantedcatalyst involved in the chemicalwell as nontoxic alternatives. Theywithout undesirable side reactions.Our transesterification process Millions of tons of (meth)acrylate estersis a practical and sustainable can-are produced annually and are among the mostdidate for industrial (meth)acrylate ester synthesis, Ishihara said, pro-important manufactured chemicals around. viding excellent chemoselectivity, high yields, mild reaction conditions reaction that turns methyl (meth)- catalyzed the transesterification ofand a lack of any toxic metal salts.acrylates into (meth)acrylate esters,methyl (meth)acrylates at the rela- The team next aims to collabo-which is called transesterification. tively mild temperature of 25 de- rate with colleagues in industry to Millions of tons of (meth)acrylategrees C (77 F), producing high yieldsuse the approach in (meth)acrylate esters are produced annually andof a broad range of (meth)acrylateester production. The scientists also are among the most important man- esters depending on the type of al- intend to continue searching for ef-ufactured chemicals around, hecohol used in the reaction. ficient catalysts for the transesterifi-said. Their transesterification, usingThe team also conducted com- cation of methyl (meth)acrylates and alcohol and a catalyst, fine-tunesputational calculations to uncoverto develop recyclable catalysts.CTEtheir properties, producing a widethe details of what happened dur-Nagoya University52JULY 2021LookAhead.indd 52 6/17/21 4:21 PM'