Dimethyl carbonate

Our factory has sodium methoxide as well as CO2, and we are considering investing in the construction of a dimethyl carbonate production facility. We would like to know whether this technology is mature, as well as the associated investment costs and consumption levels, so that we can conduct a preliminary assessment of the project’s profitability.

To date, there are no reports of industrial-scale facilities for the direct synthesis of DMC from methanol and CO2 in the presence of a catalyst. The reaction equation is: CO2 + 2CH3OH → (CH3O)2CO. Synthesizing organic chemicals using greenhouse gases as effective carbon sources meets the public’s desire for environmental protection; moreover, these raw materials are readily available, inexpensive, and non-toxic. From economic and environmental perspectives, the development prospects are good ； Compared with the methanol oxidation carbonylation method, it has no issue with an \"explosion limit\", is relatively safe, and is the most promising approach. At present, research in this area both domestically and internationally is still in the exploratory stage. Kizlink J et al. from the Slovak University and Fang et al. from the University of Tokyo in Japan have conducted research on suitable catalysts for this process. Jiang Qi and others from East China University of Science and Technology in our country have also studied this process. The reaction is carried out in an autoclave using magnesium powder as a catalyst, with methanol serving both as a reactant and a solvent. The only by-product is methyl formate. Under the optimal conditions obtained from the experiments, the conversion rate and selectivity reached 30% and 99%, respectively. Furthermore, Cao Faha and others from East China University of Science and Technology explored a new process for synthesizing DMC using supercritical CO2 and methanol as catalysts, with potassium carbonate and iodomethane being used in this process. The DMC obtained by this method is particularly suitable as a fuel additive.

At the current stage, it seems that there isn’t much demand for such products; the annual consumption in the international market is only in the hundreds of thousands of tons, meaning the market is essentially saturated. The Dongying Haikewang Chemical Group in Shandong installed a production facility for this purpose back in 2004, and similar facilities were also set up at the Jinzhou Petrochemical Plant in Liaoning. Of course, this is just my personal opinion

In China, the transesterification method is commonly used, with propylene oxide, methanol, and CO2 as the raw materials. If the process using methanol and CO2 can be made feasible, its costs will **decrease**, giving it great competitiveness and the potential to replace other production methods.

The information provided by the poster deserves close attention. If a technological breakthrough is achieved in the catalytic synthesis of DMC from CO2 and methanol, enabling industrial-scale production, it would represent a technological revolution in the chemical industry. As a greenhouse gas, the environmental impact of CO2 is now recognized by an increasing number of informed individuals, and efforts are ongoing to find effective measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. After a technological breakthrough in the catalytic synthesis of DMC from CO2, it will greatly accelerate the efforts to reduce CO2 emissions and make comprehensive use of this gas, carrying immense economic and social significance! Looking forward to technological breakthroughs! ! ! !