AEROBIC OXIDATIVE ESTERIFICATION OF SUGAR-DERIVED 1,4-DISUBSTITUTED BENZENE FOR DIRECT SYNTHESIS OF DIMETHYLTEREPHTHALATE

摘要

This invention relates to a dimethylterephthalate production process comprising reacting substituted furan with ethylene under cycloaddition reaction conditions and in the presence of a cycloaddition catalyst to produce a bicyclic ether, dehydrating the bicyclic ether to produce a substituted phenyl, dissolving said substituted phenyl in methanol, and oxidizing and esterifying the substituted phenyl in the presence of an oxidative esterification catalyst to form dimethylterephthalate. Importantly, the process does not include oxidizing the substituted phenyl to form terephthalic acid.