Efficient synthesis of oxymethylene dimethyl ethers (OME) from dimethoxymethane and trioxane over zeolites

Oligomeric oxymethylene dimethyl ethers (OMEn, CH3O(CH2O)nCH3) bearing three to five CH2O units are promising diesel fuels for the reduction of soot and NOx emissions. This work describes efficient synthesis of OMEs from dimethoxymethane and trioxane under mild reaction conditions employing zeolite catalysts. Zeolite BEA25 exhibited highest activity and the reaction was completed within 12 min at 25 °C.119