| Abstract: | Pentaerythritol diacetals are useful in many fields. They can be applied as plasticizers and vulcanizers of various polymeric materials, as raw materials for production of valuable resins and lacquers, as physiologically active substances and as defoamers for washing solution containing anionic surfactants. [ 1 ～ 4] Synthsis of diacetals from 2,2bis(hydroxymethyl)-1, 3-propanediol with aldehydes and ketones in refluxing toluene using ZrO2/S2O2- 8 solid superacid as catalyst in 85% ～ 99% yields has been described. The catalysts are easily regenerated by washing with ethanol followed by drying at 120 ℃ for 4 h and could be reused 5 times for the synthesis pentaerythritol diacetal 3e without significant loss of activity. This method possesses the advantages of the operational simplicity, short reaction time, use of inexpensive materials, non-corrosion, non-polluting, high yields and reusable catalysts. |
