Sodium tetracarbonyl cobaltate was prepared by reaction of CO with CoCl2 inCH3OH, using Urushibara-Cobalt (U-Co) as activator and characterized by IR spectrometry-The optimum conditions were: Co(from U-Co)/CoCl2=0. 6; 30 ℃; 0. 1 MPa of CO. Theconvertion of CoCl2 in 3 h of reaction was 96%. The convertion of benzyl chloride to pheny-lacetic acid using the Na[Co(CO)4] as catalyst was about 90% at 50℃ and 0. 1 MPa of CO.
