Acetalization of carbonyl compounds with 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanedio catalyzed by novel carbon based solid acid catalyst

The synthesis of 2, 4-diisopropyl-5,5-dimethyl-1,3-dioxane through the acetalization of isobutyraldehyde with 2, 2, 4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol (TMPD) catalyzed by the novel carbon based acid was first carried out. High conversion (≥98%) and specific selectivity were obtained using the novel carbon based acid, which kept high activity after it was reused 5 times. Moreover, the catalyst could be used to catalyze the acetalization and ketalization of different aldehydes and ketones with superior yield. The yield of several products was over 90%. The novel heterogeneous catalyst has the distinct advantages of high activity, strikingly simple workup procedure, non-pollution, and reusability, which will contribute to the success of the green process greatly.