Synthesis of titanium tetraalkoxides from hydrous titanium dioxideand dialkyl carbonates

Abstract

The reaction of hydrous titanium dioxide (TiO₂ ·nH₂O, n=0.15–1.23) and dialkyl carbonates at 453–573 K offers a convenient synthetic method for titanium tetraalkoxides which are free from chlorine-containing impurities. Thus, hydrous titanium dioxide was almost completely converted into Ti(OEt)₄ by its reaction with diethyl carbonate at 493 K for 16 h. The reaction proceeded faster in the presence of a sodium hydroxide catalyst. From the hydrous titanium dioxide and dipropyl carbonate, Ti(OPrⁿ)₄ was obtained in a high yield.