CeO2 as a versatile and reusable catalyst for transesterification of esters with alcohols under solvent-free conditions

CeO2 acted as an efficient and reusable heterogeneous catalyst for transesterification of esters with alcohols under the solvent-free conditions at 160 °C. Among the 11 kinds of metal oxides, CeO2 is the most suitable catalyst in terms of catalytic activity, leaching-resistance and reusability. This catalytic system tolerates various esters and alcohols, and valuable esters such as heteroaromatic esters and benzyl benzoates are produced, demonstrating a practical utility of the system. On the basis of kinetic analysis and in situ IR studies of adsorbed species, a reaction mechanism is proposed, in which proton abstraction of alcohol by a Lewis base site of CeO2 to yield alkoxide species is the rate-limiting step.