Studies on the Simultaneous Synthesis of Dimethyl Carbonate and Poly（ethylene terephthalate）： I. Catalytic Activity of Metal Acetate in Transesterification of Ethylene Carbonate with Dimethyl Terephthalate

Dimethyl carbonate (DMC) is a new building block of organic synthesis, as an environmentally benign compound and unique intermediate, it has been attracted much attention. Among the various methods for synthesizing DMC, transesterification of ethylene car…     

Protic ionic liquid-promoted synthesis of dimethyl carbonate from ethylene carbonate and methanol

In this work,the protic ionic liquid[DBUH][Im](1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]-7-undeceniumimidazolide)was developed as an efficient catalyst for the transesterification of ethylene carbonate with methanol to produce dimethyl carbonate.At 70℃,up to 97%conversion of ethylene carbonate and 91%yield of dimethyl ca rbonate were obtained with 1 mol%[DBUH][Im](relative to ethylene carbonate)as catalyst in 2 h.Even at room temperature,the conversion of ethylene carbonate can reach 94%and the yield of dimethyl carbonate can approach 81%for 6 h.Catalytic mechanism investigation showed the high catalytic efficiency of this ionic liquid results from the synergistic activation effect,wherein the cation can activate ethylene carbonate and the anion can activate methanol through hydrogen bond formatio n.Although the reusability of the ionic liquid need to be further improved,high efficiency and comme rcial availability of[DBUH][Im]render it a promising catalyst for the preparation of dimethyl carbonate.     

Chemical equilibrium of glycerol carbonate synthesis from glycerol

In this paper, the chemical equilibrium for the glycerol carbonate preparation from glycerol was investigated. The chemical equilibrium constants were calculated for the reactions to produce glycerol carbonate from glycerol. The theoretical calculation was compared with the experimental results for the transesterification of glycerol with dimethyl carbonate. Transesterification of glycerol with cyclic carbonates or alkyl carbonates is thermodynamically favourable for producing glycerol carbonate from glycerol according to the equilibrium constant. Increasing temperature can increase the chemical equilibrium constant for the reaction of glycerol with dimethyl carbonate. For the reaction of glycerol with ethylene carbonate, increasing temperature can decrease the chemical equilibrium constant. The reaction of glycerol with carbon dioxide is thermodynamically limited. High temperature and low pressure are favourable to the reaction of glycerol and urea.     

Vapour–liquid equilibria of dimethyl carbonate with linear alcohols and estimation of interaction parameters for the UNIFAC and ASOG method

Isobaric vapour–liquid equilibria have been experimentally determined for the binary systems methanol+dimethyl carbonate, ethanol+dimethyl carbonate, dimethyl carbonate+1-propanol, dimethyl carbonate+1-butanol and dimethyl carbonate+1-pentanol at 101.3 kPa. The activity coefficients were calculated to be thermodynamically consistent and were correlated with the Wilson and UNIQUAC equations. Interaction parameters related to the carbonate group (OCOO) and alcohols, in ASOG and UNIFAC methods, have been determined using our experimental VLE data. The experimental results, as well as those by other authors, agree with the calculated VLE using the new ASOG and UNIFAC parameters.     

Transesterification of Ethylene Carbonate with Dimethyl Terephthalate over Various Metal Acetate Catalysts

IntroductionDimethyl carbonate(DMC) is known to be a novelbuilding block in organic synthesis. As an environmen-tally benign compound and a unique intermediate,DMC has attracted much attention[1,2]. Among the va-rious methods for synthesizing DMC, the tra…     

Determination of autoprotolysis constants of some non-aqueous solvents using coulometric titration

Autoprotolysis constants of acetonitrile, propionitrile, nitromethane, ethylene carbonate and dimethyl sulphoxide were determined using a coulometric — potentiometric method with a hydrogen/palladium electrode as generator. The method is based on the titration of a strong base, tetrabutylammonium hydroxide, with H⁺ ions generated by anodic oxidation of hydrogen dissolved in palladium. The titration was carried out in a galvanic cell with glass and calomel electrodes at 25°C. The pK_s values for the investigated solvents are: acetonitrile, 28.8; propionitrile, 24.6; nitromethane, 23.7; ethylene carbonate. 21.5; and dimethyl sulphoxide 29.1. These data are in accordance with those reported in the literature.     

Basicity comparison for di-substituted 4-nitropyridine derivatives in polar non-aqueous media

Acid dissociation, as well as cationic homoconjugation equilibria have been studied potentiometrically in systems involving four di-substituted 4-nitropyridines and conjugate cationic acids in the polar non-aqueous solvents - aprotic protophobic acetonitrile (AN) and propylene carbonate (PC), the amphiprotic methanol (MeOH), and in the aprotic protophilic dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). The influence of solvent effect on the obtained acidity constants has been discussed. The acidity constants (expressed as pK_a values) were compared with those previously determined in another polar protophobic aprotic solvent - acetone (AC), and obtained for the unsubstituted pyridine (Py). A comparison of the acid dissociation constants determined in all media studied has proved that the strength of the cationic acids increases on going from acetonitrile through propylene carbonate, acetone, and methanol to dimethyl sulfoxide. Furthermore, the values of acidity constants in the non-aqueous media have shown that in all the solvents studied they change according to the substituent effects. It has been also found that substituted 4-nitropyridine derivatives studied exhibit no tendency towards cationic homoconjugation in acetonitrile, propylene carbonate, and methanol and dimethyl sulfoxide. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that the acid dissociation constants determined by potentiometric titration method in all the solutions investigated correlate well with the calculated energy parameters of the protonation reactions in the gaseous phase.     

Alternative reagents for chemical noise reduction in liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry using selective ion-molecule reactions

Reduction of ionic chemical background noise based on selective gas-phase reactions with chosen neutral reagents has been proven to be a very promising approach in liquid chromatography—mass spectrometry (LC-MS). In this study further investigations on alternative reagents including the disulfides (dimethyl disulfide, diethyl disulfide, methyl propyl disulfide), dimethyl trisulfide, ethylene oxide, and butadiene monoxide, for example, have been carried out. Tandem mass spectrometric studies of ion/molecule reactions indicate that—besides dimethyl disulfide—ethylene oxide and butadiene monoxide also exhibit very efficient reactions with background ions. Furthermore, it is confirmed that the reactions are very selective according to the test with some analyte ions. In contrast to its rapid reactions with background ions, ethylene oxide does not react, or reacts much less, with these analytes. Therefore, it can be used as an alternative reagent for noise reduction. Although reactions of the other tested neutral reagents with background ions are evaluated, they are generally not suitable as reagents for this purpose because of lack of reactivity or dramatic ion losses during reactions.     

Electrolytic Double-Layer Supercapacitors Based on Sodium-Ion Systems,with Activated-Carbon Electrodes

1 M solutions of NaClO₄ mixed with ethylene carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, and fluoroethylene carbonate were studied as electrolytes for a double-layer supercapacitor with electrodes made of Norit DLC Supra 30 activated carbon. It was shown that the specific capacity of activated carbon depends on the electrolyte composition, range of cycling voltages, and current density. The maximum specific capacitance of 40 F g^–1 was obtained in 1 M NaClO₄ mixed with ethylene carbonate: dimethyl carbonate: fluoroethylene carbonate (4: 5: 1) at a current density of 36 mA g^–1 in the range 10–2300 mV. The minimum specific capacitance was obtained under the same cycling conditions in the electrolyte with 1 M NaClO₄ + ethylene carbonate: dimethyl carbonate (1: 1). The variation of the specific capacitance with the electrolyte composition and range of cycling voltages is accounted for by the existence of a pseudocapacitance caused by the occurrence of side processes on the surface of activated carbon. The impedance spectroscopy was used to find that the introduction of fluoroethylene carbonate into the electrolyte positively affects the charge-transfer resistance and favors an increase in the specific capacitance of activated carbon.     

Structure and stability of solvation complexes of trimethyl phosphate and dimethyl methyl phosphonate

The presently used electrolytes in Lithium ion batteries, dimethyl carbonate (DMC), and ethylene carbonate are flammable. Trimethyl phosphate (TMP) and dimethyl methyl phosphonate (DMMP) have been shown to be potential nonflammable electrolytes. Density functional theory is used to calculate the structure and stability of the solvation complexes of TMP and DMMP. The calculations indicate that TMP and DMMP can form a solvation complex of the form Li⁺(X)₄ where X is the TMP or DMMP molecule. Calculations of the solvation energy and bond dissociation energies to remove one TMP and DMMP from the solvation complexes are compared with the same calculations on DMC. The results indicate that TMP and DMMP are considerably more stable than DMC.     

Dimethyl carbonate synthesis and other oxidative reactions using alkyl nitrites

The oxidative reactions using the alkyl nitrites (RONO) as an oxidant have been developed by Ube Industries, Ltd. In the alkyl nitrite reactions, substrates such as CO andyor unsaturated- andyor carbonyl-compounds are oxidized over the palladium catalysts in no direct contact with molecular oxygen. The dimethyl carbonate (DMC), dialkyl oxalates and other useful chemicals are synthesized efficiently under moderate conditions by the alkyl nitrite reactions.     

Functionalization of a poly(vinyl alcohol) in the solid state with a swelling agent by methacrylic anhydride

Poly(vinyl alcohol‐co‐vinyl acetate) was functionalized by methacrylic anhydride to introduce functional groups by a new process that consisted of modifying a polymer directly from a powder form in the solid state. To favor the diffusion of the reagents, a swelling agent composed by a mixture of ethylene carbonate and propylene carbonate was used. N‐methylimidazole was used as a basic catalyst of the esterification reaction, adjusting the reaction times. This work presents the process and the effects of the formulation on anhydride conversion. The side reactions were also determined; they all involved N‐methylimidazole. Decarboxylation reactions of the carbonates were characterized, that is, going from ethylene carbonate to ethylene glycol, which is able to react with two anhydride molecules by esterification reactions to, respectively, form 2‐hydroxyethyl 2‐methylpropenoate and ethyl 1,2‐bis(2‐methyl propenoate). The same side reactions are possible with propylene carbonate but are less reactive than the starting ethylene carbonate. Model anhydrides such as hexanoic and heptanoic anhydrides, less reactive than methacrylic anhydride, were used to characterize a new anhydride decarboxylation reaction. The homogeneity of the grafting is also discussed, especially its dependence on the polymer properties, the diffusion modes of the reagents (carbonate mixture and the anhydride), and the competition between the diffusional and chemical kinetics of methacrylic anhydride. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 1618–1629, 2004     

N‐Methylation of Nitrogen‐Containing Heterocycles with Dimethyl Carbonate

Reactivity of dimethyl carbonate, the environmentally friendly reagent, as methylating agent for nitrogen‐containing heterocyclic compounds has been studied. Reactions of imidazole, pyrazole, pyrrole, morpholine, and piperazine with dimethyl carbonate to afford N‐methylated products were reported. The reactions were carried out with neither catalyst nor solvent at a temperature range of 110–170°C under atmospheric pressure.     

Investigation of molecular interactions in binary mixture of dimethyl carbonate + N-methylformamide at T = (303.15, 308.15, 313.15 and 318.15) K

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - Density (ρ) and speed of sound (u) of binary liquid mixtures of dimethyl carbonate and N-methylformamide have been determined at...     

A novel use of the recyclable polymer-supported IBX: an efficient chemoselective and regioselective oxidation of phenolic compounds. The case of hydroxytyrosol derivatives.

A useful and novel application of polymer-supported IBX for the chemoselective and regioselective oxidation of phenolic compounds has been described. Hydroxytyrosol and carboxymethylated hydroxytyrosol have been prepared in good conversions and yields under green chemistry conditions in the presence of dimethyl carbonate as the solvent. Polymer-supported reagent has been recovered by simple filtration, regenerated and reused for more cycles of oxidation reactions without loss of efficiency.     

The osmotic and activity coefficients of some thioureas in water and in ethylene carbonate

The osmotic and activity coefficients of thiourea and 1,3-dimethylthiourea have been determined from isopiestic measurements in aqueous solutions. Osmotic coefficients of these substances in ethylene carbonate solutions have been calculated from freezing-temperature measurements. The results of this and previously reported work enable the following conclusions. The substitution of alkyl groups for hydrogen atoms or sulfur for oxygen in the urea molecule diminishes the osmotic coefficients in aqueous solutions. Micelle formation is suspected as the cause. Urea tends to dimerize in ethylene carbonate while thiourea does not.     

Solvent effects on the reaction coordinate of the hydrolysis of phosphates and sulfates: application of Hammond and anti-Hammond postulates to understand hydrolysis in solution.

The mechanism of the alkaline hydrolysis of phosphate and sulfate esters is of great interest. Ab initio quantum mechanical calculations and dielectric continuum methods are used to investigate the effect of the solvent on the associative/dissociative and the in-line/sideways character of the hydrolysis reaction of ethylene sulfate (ES) and ethylene phosphate (EP(-)), and their acyclic counterparts, dimethyl sulfate (DMS) and dimethyl phosphate (DMP(-)). The gas-phase reaction coordinates are determined by Hartree-Fock and density functional theory. For ES, the reaction coordinate in solution is determined; for the other three reactions only the transition state in solution is obtained. The alterations in the reaction induced by solvent are interpreted by use of the Hammond and anti-Hammond postulates.     

High-performance gel-type lithium electrolyte membranes

Battery-grade solution products have been used for the synthesis of new types of poly(acrylonitrile) PAN-based polymer electrolyte membranes. Basically, two classes of membranes have been prepared differing by the type of lithium salt in the ethylene carbonate–dimethyl carbonate (EC–DMC) solution trapped in the PAN matrix, i.e. LiPF₆ or LiC(CF₃SO₂)₃ lithium methide salt, respectively. The results demonstrate that both classes of membranes have high conductivity and very good chemical and electrochemical stability. These unique characteristics make the membranes suitable for applications in high-voltage, rechargeable lithium batteries.     

碘甲烷在碳酸二甲酯直接合成中的作用

Dimethyl carbonate (DMC) is an environmentally friendly compound and a substitutive intermediate for highly toxic phosgene or dimethyl sulfate in carbonylation and methylation reactions as well as a promising octane booster. The common methods for its preparation are the oxidative carbonylation of methanol catalyzed by a variety of transition metal ions and the transesterification of ethylene carbonate or propene carbonate with methanol[1]. The direct synthesis of DMC from carbon dioxide and methanol is a challenging route in which the most abundant carbon resources and a main greenhouse gas is used as feedstock. A new method for the direct synthesis of DMC catalyzed by the methoxide of main group metal has attracted more and more attention since it was reported[2～6] . However the lower conversion of the reaction has become the main obstacle for its application. In this letter, an efficient promoter for the direct synthesis of DMC is reported.     

Quantum Chemical Study of Addition–Elimination Reactions of Dimethyl Carbonate with Methylamine

The mechanisms of noncatalytic and autocatalytic addition–elimination reactions of dimethyl carbonate with methylamine have been studied in terms of wB97XD/6-311++G(df,p), M06/6-311++G(df,p), and PBE0/6-311++G(df,p) quantum chemical methods, and thermodynamic and activation parameters of these reactions have been calculated. The rate-determining stage is the formation of tetrahedral carbon intermediate. The addition–elimination mechanism is preferred over the autocatalytic S_N2 mechanism determined by enhanced donor–acceptor and acid–base properties of amine complexes with alcohol associates in comparison to amines.