Ester pyrolysis in
organic chemistry is a
vacuum pyrolysis
The pyrolysis (or devolatilization) process is the thermal decomposition of materials at elevated temperatures, often in an inert atmosphere. It involves a change of chemical composition. The word is coined from the Greek-derived elements ''py ...
reaction converting
esters containing a β-hydrogen atom into the corresponding
carboxylic acid
In organic chemistry, a carboxylic acid is an organic acid that contains a carboxyl group () attached to an R-group. The general formula of a carboxylic acid is or , with R referring to the alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, or other group. Carboxylic ...
and the
alkene. The reaction is an
Ei elimination and operates in a syn fashion.
Examples include the synthesis of
acrylic acid
Acrylic acid (IUPAC: propenoic acid) is an organic compound with the formula CH2=CHCOOH. It is the simplest unsaturated carboxylic acid, consisting of a vinyl group connected directly to a carboxylic acid terminus. This colorless liquid has a ...
from
ethyl acrylate
Ethyl acrylate is an organic compound with the formula CH2CHCO2CH2CH3. It is the ethyl ester of acrylic acid. It is a colourless liquid with a characteristic acrid odor. It is mainly produced for paints, textiles, and non-woven fibers. It is ...
at 590 °C, the synthesis of 1,4-pentadiene from 1,5-pentanediol diacetate at 575 °C or the construction of a
cyclobutene framework at 700 °C
[ Organic Syntheses, Coll. Vol. 5, p.235 (1973); Vol. 43, p.17 (1963)]
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References
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Organic reactions