Patent ID: 8173830

Claim:
A homogeneous process for the selective formation of a vinyl ester from a carboxylic acid which comprises reacting the carboxylic acid with acetylene, optionally in a suitable organic solvent, at a suitable reaction temperature and pressure for about 1-5 hours in the presence of a catalyst and optionally in the presence of a ligand, wherein the catalyst is selected from platinum acetylacetonate, (1,5-cyclooctadiene)dimethylplatinum(II), platinum(II)chloride, platinum(IV)chloride, platinum(II)bromide, platinum(II)iodide, platinum(0)-1,3-divinyl-1,1,3,3-tetramethyl-disoloxane and cis-bis(benzonitrile)-dichloroplatinum(II), and the carboxylic acid is provided in a molar ratio of carboxylic acid:platinum metal of about 200:1 to about 4000:1.