Methoxycarbonylation of ketones with dimethyl carbonate over solid base

The methoxycarbonylation of various ketones with dimethyl carbonate was carried out in the presence of solid base catalysts. The results showed that the reaction scope seemed to be limited to the ketones with Hα and the main by-products were methylation and aldol condensation products. The reactivity of aliphatic and aromatic ketones for the methoxycarbonylation was closely related to their acidities. Basic catalysts were supposed to activate ketones via the abstraction of Hα by base sites. As a result, solid base with moderate strength such as MgO facilitated the reaction.