Glycerol carbonate synthesis from glycerol and dimethyl carbonate using trisodium phosphate

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Glycerol, a major biodiesel byproduct, was valorized using anhydrous trisodium phosphate (TSP) as a reusable heterogeneous catalyst in glycerol carbonate (GC) synthesis. The reaction progressed via catalytic carboxylation pathway of glycerol with dimethyl carbonate (DMC) under various reaction conditions. The TSP catalyst was characterized using TPD-CO2, TGA and XRD technique. Under reaction conditions of 70 °C, glycerol/DMC molar ratio of 2, 60 min, and 3 wt% catalyst loading, TSP achieved 99.5% glycerol conversion and GC yield, respectively. The appreciable high basicity and strong basic sites of TSP catalyst contributed to its remarkable performance. Also, the crystalline phase was preserved after the nine times reusability indicating high structural stability of TSP catalyst. The catalyst was heterogeneous without leaching and can easily be recovered and reused. Hence, the catalyst was repeatedly used in nine successive cycles of experiment without deactivation.