Facile and efficient synthesis of cyclic anhydrides from dicarboxylic acids

Abstract

An efficient, high-yielding sustainable route to cyclic anhydrides from biorenewable and inexpensive dicarboxylic acids has been developed. Cyclic anhydrides were synthesized from dicarboxylic acids using a catalyst prepared in situ from MgCl2 and dialkyl dicarbonates. This robust and cheap system operates under mild conditions to give cyclic anhydrides with high yield and selectivity.