Two-step synthesis of diphenyl carbonate from dimethyl carbonate and phenol using MoO3SiO2 catalysts

✍ Scribed by Zi-hua Fu; Yoshio Ono

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1997
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 626 KB
• Volume: 118
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1381-1169
• DOI: 10.1016/s1381-1169(96)00409-8

✦ Synopsis

The transesterification of dimethyl carbonate with phenol to produce methyl phenyl carbonate was carried out in an autoclave using a variety of solid catalysts. MoO,/SiO, was found to have a very high activity for this transesterification. Thus, a 17.1% yield of methyl phenyl carbonate based on phenol was obtained at 433 K in the presence of MoO,/SiO,. MoO,/SiO, was also an active catalyst for the disproportionation of methyl phenyl carbonate into diphenyl carbonate and dimethyl carbonate. A 48% yield of diphenyl carbonate was attained over MoO,/SiO, at 443 K. These yield values are probably very close to those at the thermodynamic equilibrium.