Researchers realize ethylene methoxycarbonylation reaction over single-atom catalyst

Ethylene methoxycarbonylation reaction is the key process in the alpha-route to produce methyl methacrylate industrially. This approach has the advantages of using widely available raw materials, having high atomic efficiency as well as high selectivity, compared with traditional approaches such as acetone-cyanohydrins, isobutene oxidation and ethylene hydroformylation.