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Electrochemical synthesis of dimethyl carbonate from methanol, CO 2 and propylene oxide in an ionic liquid
Author(s) -
Yan Cuihong,
Lu Bin,
Wang Xiaoguang,
Zhao Jingxiang,
Cai Qinghai
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of chemical technology and biotechnology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.64
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1097-4660
pISSN - 0268-2575
DOI - 10.1002/jctb.2647
Subject(s) - dimethyl carbonate , methanol , dimethyl ether , ionic liquid , propylene carbonate , propylene oxide , chemistry , cyclohexene oxide , inorganic chemistry , electrochemistry , epoxide , oxide , organic chemistry , catalysis , electrode , ethylene oxide , polymer , copolymer
BACKGROUND: Dimethyl carbonate (DMC) can be used effectively as an environmentally benign substitute for highly toxic phosgene and dimethyl sulfate in carbonylation and methylation, as well as a promising octane booster owing to its high oxygen content. Two‐step transesterification from epoxide, methanol, and CO 2 is widely used in the bulk production of DMC. However, major disadvantages of this process are high energy consumption, and high investment and production costs. A one pot synthesis of DMC from carbon dioxide, methanol, and epoxide was, therefore, developed. But the yields of DMC are below 70% due to the thermodynamic limitation. RESULTS: Electrochemical synthesis of DMC was conducted with platinum electrodes from methanol, CO 2 and propylene oxide in an ionic liquid was conducted. The bmimBr (1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium bromide)‐methanol‐propylene oxide system with CO 2 bubbling allows DMC to be effectively synthesized and a high yield (75.5%) was achieved. CONCLUSION: In this electrolysis, redox reactions of substrates, CO 2 , methanol, and propylene oxide, on Pt electrodes were carried out, producing the activated particles, CH 3 O − , CH 3 OH + , CO 2 − and PO − , resulting in the effective synthesis of DMC with a 75.5% yield in an ionic liquid (bmimBr). Finally, a mechanism for this synthesis reaction was proposed, which is very different from those reported in the literature. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry