Chemical Fixation of Carbon Dioxide: Synthesis of Cyclic Carbonate, Dimethyl Carbonate, Cyclic Urea and Cyclic Urethane

• Published in: Journal of the Japan Petroleum Institute Vol. 48; no. 2; pp. 67 - 75
• Main Authors: Fujita, Shin-ichiro, Arai, Masahiko
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Japanese
• Published: Tokyo The Japan Petroleum Institute 2005; Sekiyu Gakkai
• Subjects: Carbon dioxide; Carbonate; Chemical fixation; Cycloaddition; Heterocyclic compound; Transesterification
• ISSN: 1346-8804; 1349-273X
• DOI: 10.1627/jpi.48.67

Chemical fixation of carbon dioxide (CO2) may be very important in the future as a solution for the problem of increased atmospheric CO2 levels. Recent developments for chemical fixation of CO2 to cyclic carbonate, dimethyl carbonate (DMC), cyclic urea and cyclic urethane are reviewed. Synthesis of cyclic carbonate via CO2 addition to epoxide has been already applied on the industrial scale, but catalyst development continues. Direct oxidative carboxylation of olefin is preferable for the synthesis of cyclic carbonate, but requires the development of catalysts for the epoxidation step in the presence of CO2. Direct synthesis of DMC is not in practical use at present because of the reaction equilibrium and chemical inertness of CO2. The preferred alternative is transesterification of ethylene carbonate and methanol for converting CO2 to DMC indirectly. Moreover, combination of this reaction with CO2 addition to epoxide or reaction of ethylene glycol and urea to synthesize DMC is promising. Application of these ideas depends on the development and optimization of catalysts and reaction conditions. Synthesis of cyclic urea and urethane without catalyst should use either CO2 or urea depending on the structures of diamine and amino alcohol.