Facile, highly efficient and environmentally friendly transesterification mediated by platinum dioxide and nickel oxide under essentially neutral conditions

Abstract

A practical, facile and highly efficient transesterification reaction under essentially neutral conditions was achieved using platinum dioxide (PtO₂) or PtO₂/nickel oxide (NiO) as the catalyst. A number of esters and alcohols that contain various functional groups were employed. Good to excellent yields were obtained for different aromatic or aliphatic starting materials. The Pt–alcohol intermediate generated in situ facilitated the exchange of low-alcohol esters to high-alcohol esters.