Synthesis of Propylene Carbonate and Some Dialkyl Carbonates in the Presence of Bifunctional Catalyst Compositions

Abstract

Poly(ethylene glycol)–potassium iodide complexes were found to have high catalytic activities in the esterification of propylene oxide and carbon dioxide under smooth experimental conditions. Furthermore, the complexes were combined with sodium methoxide to form bifunctional catalyst compositions sequentially for the above esterification, as well as the transesterification of the propylene carbonate formed in situ with some aliphatic alcohols, such as methanol, ethanol, propanol and butanol. It was found that the compositions were very effective, giving corresponding dialkyl carbonate, propylene carbonate and propylene glycol. It was noticed that the resulting dialkyl carbonate from n-butanol was diisobutyl carbonate, instead of di-n-butyl carbonate.