The Role of K2CO3 in the Synthesis of Dimethyl Carbonate from CO2 and Methanol

The synthesis of dimethyl carbonate (DMC) from methanol and CO2 has also received widespread attention, and K2CO3 is usually used as a catalyst in the synthesis of DMC. In this work, the role of K2CO3 in synthesizing dimethyl carbonate (DMC) from methanol and CO2 was revisited. Interestingly, NMR results indicated that K2CO3 can react with methanol to form carbonate CH3OCOO-, an essential intermediate in the synthesis of DMC, which can be transformed into DMC in the presence of CH3I. In other words, K2CO3 can act as not only a catalyst but also a reactant to synthesize DMC from methanol and CO2.