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Research Progress in the Phosgene-Free and Direct Synthesis of Dimethyl Carbonate from CO2 and Methanol

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Chemistry Beyond Chlorine

Abstract

This chapter contains a short introduction to dimethyl carbonate (DMC) followed by an overview on its phosgene-free synthesis and various applications. DMC is considered as an environmentally benign compound and unique intermediate with versatile chemical reactivity. However, the traditional process of DMC synthesis via phosgene and methanol or methanol exchange is limited owing to the toxic raw material involved. Thus, environmentally friendly phosgene-free processes of DMC have been proposed and developed in the past decades. In this chapter, recent progress in the direct and phosgene-free synthesis of DMC from CO2 and methanol is reviewed with the focus on the different catalyst systems. Moreover, the application of physical–chemical methods in the direct synthesis of DMC is also introduced. Finally, conventional processes are discussed in order to understand the advantages and disadvantages of direct synthesis of DMC.

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Acknowledgment

The authors would like to thank the China High-Tech Development 863 Program (2009AA03Z340), National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 21376276), Guangdong Province Universities and Colleges Pearl River Scholar Funded Scheme (2010), Guangdong Province Sci & Tech Bureau (Key Strategic Project Grant No. 2008A080800024), and Chinese Universities Basic Research Founding for financial support of work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Key Laboratory of Low-carbon Chemistry and Energy Conservation of Guangdong Province, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China

    Zhongwei Fu & Yuezhong Meng

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  1. Zhongwei Fu
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  2. Yuezhong Meng
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Correspondence to Yuezhong Meng .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Ca' Foscari University of Venice Environmental Sciences, Venice, Italy

    Pietro Tundo

  2. Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, Nankai University Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, Tianjin, China

    Liang-Nian He

  3. Chemistry Department, Lomonosov Moscow State University Chemistry Department, Moscow, Russia

    Ekaterina Lokteva

  4. Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro-RJ, Brazil

    Claudio Mota

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Fu, Z., Meng, Y. (2016). Research Progress in the Phosgene-Free and Direct Synthesis of Dimethyl Carbonate from CO2 and Methanol. In: Tundo, P., He, LN., Lokteva, E., Mota, C. (eds) Chemistry Beyond Chlorine. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-30073-3_13

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