| abstract |
Di(organo) esters of pyrocarbonic acid, e.g., dialkyl pyrocarbonates, such as diethyl pyrocarbonate, are prepared by reaction of the corresponding organohaloformate with aqueous alkali metal hydroxide, e.g., sodium hydroxide, in the substantial absence of an organic solvent and in the presence of a catalytic amount of a bis[poly(oxy(C2-C4)alkylene)] C6-C20 aliphatic amine, e.g., coco bis(polyoxyethylene) amine. |