Hydroesterification of methyl 10-undecenoate in thermomorphic multicomponent solvent systems-Process development for the synthesis of sustainable polymer precursors

In this paper, we present a process concept for the atom economic hydroesterification of renewable methyl 10-undecenoate in thermomorphic multicomponent solvent (TMS) systems. Resulting dimethyl dodecanedioate is a polymer building block used e.g. in Nylon 6,12. As a suitable recycling technique a thermomorphic multicomponent solvent system consisting of methanol and dodecane is employed to recycle the palladium/1,2-bis(di-tert-butylphosphino)methyl)benzene/methanesulfonic acid catalyst. Product yields up to 79% and a high regioselectivtiy of 94% to the linear product are obtained. Low leaching of the catalyst into the product phase with 1% in respect of palladium and phosphorous is observed. Robustness and stability of the catalyst is shown in eight recycling runs without any loss of selectivity in the reaction.