▁solid ▁that ▁is ▁sol ub le ▁in ▁water . ▁ ▁Production ▁Dim eth yl ▁ox al ate ▁can ▁be ▁obtained ▁by ▁est er ification ▁of ▁ox al ic ▁acid ▁with ▁m eth an ol ▁using ▁sul fur ic ▁acid ▁as ▁a ▁catal yst : ▁ ▁Ox id ative ▁car b ony lation ▁route ▁The ▁prepar ation ▁by ▁ox id ative ▁car b ony lation ▁has ▁attract ed ▁interest ▁because ▁it ▁requires ▁only ▁C 1 ▁prec urs ors : ▁ ▁The ▁reaction ▁is ▁catal yz ed ▁by ▁P d 2 + . ▁The ▁synth esis ▁gas ▁is ▁mostly ▁obtained ▁from ▁coal ▁or ▁bi om ass . ▁The ▁ox id ation ▁proceed s ▁via ▁d init ro gen ▁tri ox ide , ▁which ▁is ▁formed ▁according ▁to ▁( 1 ) ▁of ▁nit ro gen ▁mon ox ide ▁and ▁o xygen ▁and ▁then ▁react s ▁according ▁to ▁( 2 ) ▁with ▁m eth an ol ▁forming ▁m eth yl ▁nit rite : ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁next ▁step ▁of ▁dic ar b ony lation ▁( 3 ) ▁carbon ▁mon ox ide ▁react s ▁with ▁m eth yl ▁nit rite ▁to ▁dim eth yl ▁ox al ate ▁in ▁the ▁v apor ▁phase ▁at ▁atmos pher ic ▁pressure ▁and ▁temper atures ▁at ▁ 8 0 - 1 2 0   ° C ▁over ▁a ▁p all ad ium ▁catal yst : ▁ ▁The ▁sum ▁equation : ▁ ▁This ▁method ▁is ▁loss less ▁with ▁respect ▁to ▁m eth yl ▁nit rite , ▁which ▁acts ▁pract ically ▁as ▁an ▁car rier