Methoxylation of aerosil with methyl acetate

Abstract

We report a study of the methoxylation of Aerosil 200 with methyl acetate by infrared spectroscopy. At ca. 100 Torr and temperatures higher than 200 °C the ester vapours bring about extensive methoxylation of Aerosil activated above 350 °C. A straight line passing through the origin is obtained when the adsorbances of the free hydroxyl groups are plotted against those of the methoxyl groups produced during the process of chemisorption. The slope of this line allows the participation of free OH groups and other superficial sites, probably siloxane groups, to be postulated.