Koch reaction

The Koch reaction is used industrially for the production of saturated tertiary carboxylic acids from alkenes ( olefins ), carbon monoxide and water. In this carbonylation of the so-called Koch- acids are formed. The annual production of cooking - acids is about 150,000 t. A similar carbonylation, but under reducing conditions, is the hydroformylation of alkenes to aldehydes representation.

Mechanism

This is first reacted under pressure from 5105 to 107 Pa and at temperatures between 0 ° C and 50 ° C with carbon monoxide, starting from a branched alkene, such as isobutylene (2- methylpropene ). As the acid catalyst is a mixture of phosphoric acid ( H3PO4) and boron trifluoride ( BF3). After hydrolysis of the carboxylic acid produced and the proton is re- absorbed by the acid catalyst.

The reaction conditions of pressure and temperature determine this important which products are formed.

Importance of the Koch reaction

The Koch reaction is of great importance in industrial chemistry, because on the one hand, the raw materials of the reaction (olefins, carbon monoxide and water) are cheap and readily available, and on the other hand made ​​cooking acids by their high stability as well as their esters a wide range of applications possess.