Low pressure one-pot synthesis of dimethyl carbonate catalyzed by an alkali carbonate

A mild and efficient protocol for the alkali carbonate-catalyzed one-pot synthesis of dimethyl carbonate (DMC) from epoxide, CO2 and methanol was developed. The reaction conditions for the one-pot synthesis of DMC were investigated. Under the optimized conditions of initial pressure 0.5 MPa, 120 °C and catalyst loading of 7.5 mol%, 63.5% yield of DMC was achieved using ethylene oxide as the starting material. A mechanism for the catalysis by the alkali carbonate was proposed.

Graphical AbstractThis work developed a protocol of alkali carbonate-catalyzed one-pot synthesis of dimethyl carbonate (DMC) from epoxide, CO2, and methanol. 63.5% yield of DMC was achieved with an initial CO2 pressure of 0.5 MPa and ethylene oxide as reactant.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide