SONG Zhiguo, SUN Xiaohu, WANG Yang, LIU Lianli

(Center for Science & Technology Experiment, Province Silicon Materials Engineering Technology Research Center, Bohai University, Jinzhou 121000, China)

Abstract: Cobalt sulfate-acetic acid is found to catalyze the tetrahydropyranylation of alcohols and phenols efficiently at room temperature under solvent-free conditions. It is a synergistic catalytic system, and both cobalt sulphate and acetic acid are indispensable for the rate acceleration of the reaction. Compared with other conventional catalysts, cobalt sulphate-acetic acid proved to be the best. After reaction, cobalt sulphate can be easily recovered by simple phase-separation and reused for many times without deterioration in catalytic activity. A probable reaction mechanism is proposed.

Key words: Tetrahydropyranylation; alcohol; phenol; cobalt sulphate; acetic acid

E-mail: lnszgsky@yahoo.com.cn 

Journal of Molecular Catalysis, Vol. 25, Issue 5, 2011, 421-426