Palladium-catalyzed oxidative double alkoxycarbonylation of ethylene toward succinic acid derivatives

Employing biodegradable plastics is one of the choices to solve white pollution issues. PBS (polybutylene succinate), as a biodegradable plastic with good stability and heat resistance, is produced by polymerization of succinic acid and butylene glycol. However, inadequate supply of the direct upstream material succinic acid restricts the development of this industry. In this work, we provide a carbonylative strategy to construct succinic acid derivatives from carbon monoxide, ethylene and alcohols. The reaction catalyzed by palladium catalyst under oxidative conditions.