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AssigneeThe Chinese University of Hong Kong
InventorsYing-Yeung Yeung, Ying-Pong Lam, Zhihai Ke, Xinyan Wang, Fei Tan, Wing-Hin Ng, Ying-Lung Steve Tse
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An amide/iminium zwitterion catalyst has a catalyst pocket size that promotes transesterification and dehydrative esterification. The amide/iminium zwitterions are easily prepared by reacting aziridines with aminopyridines. The reaction can be applied a wide variety of esterification processes including the large-scale synthesis of biodiesel. The amide/iminium zwitterions allow the avoidance of strongly basic or acidic condition and avoidance of metal contamination in the products. Reactions are carried out at ambient or only modestly elevated temperatures. The amide/iminium zwitterion catalyst is easily recycled and reactions proceed in high to quantitative yields.
An amide/iminium zwitterionic catalyst, comprising a sulfonamide negative site and an iminium positive site with three to seven bonds residing between the sulfonamide negative site and the iminium positive site.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.