One-pot synthesis of dimethyl carbonate from carbon dioxide, cyclohexene oxide, and methanol

Dimethyl carbonate (DMC) and 1,2-cyclohexanediol (CHD) were directly synthesized by using K2CO3 from cyclohexane oxide (CHO), CO2, and CH3OH. K2CO3 and corresponding potassium-based catalysts were explored in the reaction system for the first time. The reaction was controlled by two mechanisms (the direct alkoxide and polymer dissociation mechanisms) under different reaction temperatures. The best catalytic performance with 95.7 % CHO conversion and a maximum of YDMC and YCHD were 55.4 and 63.4 %, respectively, which were obtained using K2CO3 as the catalyst under optimized reaction conditions. This approach is effective for producing DMC and CHD due to its easy operation, fewer hybrid ion introductions, and low cost of the catalyst.