| abstract |
The invention provides a method of carrying out a Lewis-acid catalysed organic reaction in the presence of a Lewis acid catalyst comprising a metal-organic compound having the following formula: M(HO(CR1 R2)z)a(O(CR1R2)z)bY-(CR3R4)-Y((CR1R2)zO)c((CR1R2)zOH)d.nR5OH (Formula I) in which: M is a metal atom, preferably titanium, zirconium, hafnium or iron (III) Y is selected from P and N, but is verypreferably N; each R1, R2, R3 and R4 is independently selected from H, alkyl, aryl, substituted alkyl or substituted aryl, R5 is hydrogen, an alkyl group, a hydroxy-functionalised alkyl group, a polyoxyalkylmoiety, R6O or R7COO where R6 and R7may each represent H, alkyl, aryl or alkyl-aryl; d and a are each O or 1, b and c are each 1 or 2, b + c = the valency of M, a+b+c+d = 4, each z is independently 1,2, 3 or 4; x represents the least number of C atoms between the Y atoms and is 2 or 3 and n is a number in the range from 0 to 4. The metal-organic compound forms a stable hydrate in water which retains Lewis-acid catalytic properties. |