The Effect of Temperature on Selectivity in the Oscillatory Mode of the Phenylacetylene Oxidative Carbonylation Reaction

Reaction temperature plays a major role in product selectivity in the oscillatory mode of the palladium-catalyzed phenylacetylene oxidative carbonylation reaction. At 40 °C, dimethyl (2Z)-2-phenyl-2-butenedioate is the major product whereas at 0 °C the major product is 5,5-dimethoxy-3-phenyl-2(5H)-furanone. The occurrence of oscillations in pH coincides with an increase in the rate of phenylacetylene consumption and associated product formation. Experiments were performed isothermally in a reaction calorimeter to correlate reactant consumption and product formation with the occurrence of pH oscillations and the heat released by the reaction. An increase in the size of the pH drop in a single oscillation correlates with an increase in energy, indicating that this section of a single oscillation relates to reactant consumption. Based on these observations, a reaction pathway responsible for product formation is provided.