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Mn2(CO)10 had a similar activity with a higher selectivity to ethanol. The conversion rate of the iron carbonyl and manganese carbonyl combination was such as to give 14% per hour at 2200C and this was similar to the conversion rate obtained ~ith Co catalysts. The Chemical and Engineering News article reproduces a mechanism proposed by Chen and Rathke for the reaction. Hydrocarbonylation and Dimerization of Methyl Acrylate with CO and HLQ K. Murata and A. Matsuda (National Chemical Laboratory for Industry, Japan) recently described a homogeneous catalysis of hydrocarbonylation of ethylene or propylene with CO and H20 where the CO 2(CO)8- phosphine system is a catalyst precursor and symmetrical ketones are produced selectively (Bull. Chem. Soc. Japan, 54(1981) 245, 2089). The applicability of this method has now been tested with methyl acrylate (Bull. Chem. Soc. Japan, 55(1982) 2195). Hydrocarbonylation of methyl acrylate with CO and H20 forms dimethyl 4-oxopimelate in 94 moT %yield (reaction time: 10 h) based on H20. The reaction was carried out with 150 mmol of methylacrylate in dioxane (50 mmol) with 35 mmol of H20 and an initial CO pressure of 100 kg/ cm 2 at 135 0C. The same C02(CO)8 (2 mmol)-l / 2-bis(diphenylphosphino) ethane (1.5 mmol) catalyst system was used as in the case of ethylene or propylene. Increasing the temperature tends to promote the dimerization and/ or hydrodimerization of methyl acrylate to give 1,3-bis(methoxycarbonyl)-1butene and/or dimethyl 2-methylglutarate. Selectivity in Organic Catalysis It has just been announced that the geme Colloque Franco-Polonais sur la Catalyse will be held at the Ecole Polytechnique Varsovie from 4th-9th September 1983. The symposium will be devoted to applied as well as to fundamental problems of selectivity in organic catalysis, either homogeneous or heterogeneous. The two main areas which will be considered are: (a) selectivity and mechanisms of reactions, with particular attention being devoted to the relationships between active centres and selectivity, to active complexes and to the effect

applied catalysis - Volume

5 No.2 - Februarv 1983

of the structure of the catalyst on selectivity; and (b) the selective preparation hydrocarbon, carbonyl and heterocyclic compounds, etc., with particular emphasis on fine chemicals and the influence on the selectivity of parameters such as temperature and of additives. Further details can be obtained from Professor St. Malinowski (for Polish-speakers) or Professor M. Guisnet (for French-speakers) whose addresses are given in the Calendar of Forthcoming Events. CA Selects The Royal Society of Chemistry, in conjunction with the Chemical Abstracts Service, has announced a new title, "Catalyst Regeneration", among a list of nineteen new subject areas. Previously available titles in this service, which provides selected CA abstracts in well-defined subject areas, include "Catalysis (Applied and Physical Aspects)", "Catalysis (Organic Reactions)", "Surface Chemistry (Physicochemical Aspects)", "Zeolites", "Surface Analysis" and "Synfuels". Further details can be obtained from The Royal Society of Chemistry. The University, Nottingham NG7 ZRD, England. The Catalytic Steam Gasification of Coal using Sodium Hydridotetracarbonylferrate T. Suzuki, M. Mishima, J. Kitaguchi and Y.Watanabe of Kyoto University, Japan, have investigated the catalytic steam gasification of Miike coal using hydridotetracarbonylferrates. Sodium hydridotetracarbonylferrate as a catalyst precursor was found to be much more effective than the well-known sodium carbonate catalyst, especially at lower temperatures (6500-7000C) (see Chem. Soc. Japan, Chem. Letters (1982), 985. ) Physical and Acid-Catalytic Properties of 12-Molybdophosphates Prof. E. Echigoya and his coworkers (Tokyo Inst. Techn.) studied the physical and catalytic properties of various cation-exchanged 12-molybdophosphates, with reference to two acid-