Interaction | Reaction | Process     Data Page

Since 1970 most vinyl acetate has been produced industrially from ethylene.

The reaction is stoichiometric in Pd(II) which is reduced to Pd(0). The Pd(II) is oxidised by Cu(II), which itself is oxidised by O2. This is the same mechanism as used in the Wacker oxidation of ethene to acetaldehyde.

L. Kniel, O. Winter and K. Stork, Ethylene: Keystone to the Petrochemical Industry

2
H2C=CH2
  +  
O2
  +  
2
CH3COOH
  +  
PdCl2
         
2
  +  
2
H2O
Reactant Page Go To Go To
Ethylene     Reactions Using    Reactions Forming
Oxygen     Reactions Using    Reactions Forming
Acetic acid     Reactions Using    Reactions Forming
Palladium(II) chloride Catalyst    Reactions Using    Reactions Forming
Vinyl acetate     Reactions Using    Reactions Forming
Water     Reactions Using    Reactions Forming

Interaction, Reaction, Process defined as:
Ethylene the Petrochemical Building Block
Industrial Process: Organic
Oxidation: Of Substrate By Reagent
Redox
Wacker Oxidation

© Mark R. Leach 1999 –


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