Production of DMC from CO2 via Indirect Route: Technical–Economical–Environmental Assessment and Analysis

Abstract

Interest in dimethyl carbonate (DMC), a saleable chemical destination of CO2, has grown significantly. DMC is an oxygenated octane-booster and a safer and nontoxic substitute of well-established methylating-carbonylating hazardous chemicals like dimethyl sulfate and phosgene. Considering the CO2 routes to DMC, the one commercially promising converts CO2 with ethylene oxide (EO) to ethylene carbonate (EC), which then reacts with excess methanol (MeOH) to DMC and ethylene glycol (EG). This indirect route (IR) apparently exhibits green chemistry attributes. It converts greenhouse gases (GHG) to valuables, such as EG, EC, and DMC. Apparently, it is not energy intensive; it has 100% atom economy without wastes. However, there is a massive energetic obstacle occluded in the separation of the azeotropic pair DMC–MeOH yet to be considered. This work assesses the technical, economical, and environmental IR flowsheet for CO2 conversion to DMC. Assessment of entrainers for extractive distillation of DMC–MeOH was acc...