Oxidative methylation of alpha-, beta- and gama-picolines with methane vinylpyridines and ethylpyridines over monoand bialkali promoted magnesia catalysts

Abstract

The oxidative methylation of alpha-, beta- and gama-picolines with methane to the corresponding vinyl- and ethylpyridines was carried out at 750C and under normal atmospheric pressure, over sodium, cesium or sodium-cesium promoted magnesia catalysts. Among the three picolines, the gama-picoline was the most reactive, followed by a- and beta-picolines. The (5 mol% Na-5 mol% Cs)/MgO catalyst provided higher yields than the individual promoters, at the same total alkali content of 10 mol%.