Solid–liquid equilibria and the physical properties of binary systems of diphenyl carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, methyl phenyl carbonate, anisole, methanol and phenol

Abstract

Non-phosgene diphenyl carbonate (DPC) can be synthesized via many routes. A preferable green route of synthesis consists of a two-step reaction from dimethyl carbonate (DMC) and phenol because the direct synthesis of DPC is limited due to the low equilibrium constants of the forward reaction. In this synthesis process, the reaction products with intermediates should be separated from each other for higher yields of DPC and to recycle the reactants. However, relatively few studies have examined the separation design properties, particularly, the phase equilibria and the physical properties for systems containing the reaction intermediate methyl phenyl carbonate (MPC). In the present work, we analytically determined the binary solid–liquid equilibria (SLE) for the {DMC (1)+DPC (2)}, {DPC (1)+MPC (2)}, {phenol (1)+MPC (2)} and {methanol (1)+DPC (2)} systems. The former three systems showed a simple eutectic point, while the {methanol (1)+DPC (2)} system did not. The determined SLE data correlated well with a non-random two-liquid (NRTL) activity coefficient model. In addition, the temperature dependence of the physical properties of the reaction products densities, refractive indices and kinematic viscosities were reported. The experimental properties were correlated well with the Daubert and Danner (DIPPR) equation for density, the linear equation for refractive index, and the Goletz and Tassion equation for kinematic viscosity, respectively.