synthesis of ethane-1,2-diol (ethylene glycol) through formose reaction in methanol solvent

The current paper carried out the formose reaction (or the butlerow reaction) when a fumed (pyrogenic) silica) also known as aerosil or cabosil) catalyst is present in methanol, which is one of the simplest forms of alcohol, at ph of 10.6. ethane-1,2-diol (iupac name), also known as ethylene glycol or mono-ethylene glycol, is the reaction's visible product. furthermore, aerosil was investigated and identified through various analyses, including fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ftir), field emission scanning electron microscopy (fesem), and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (eds). generally speaking, the results indicated that formose reaction produces ethylene glycol (simplest diol) with low efficiency in the methanolic medium.