Collect. Czech. Chem. Commun. 2007, 72, 1094-1106
https://doi.org/10.1135/cccc20071094

Oxidative Carbonylation of Methanol to Dimethyl Carbonate by Chlorine-Free Homogeneous and Immobilized 2,2'-Bipyrimidine Modified Copper Catalyst

Szilárd Csihonya, László T. Mikaa, Gábor Vláda, Katalin Bartaa, Christian P. Mehnertb and István T. Horvátha,*

a Institute of Chemistry, Eötvös University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/A H-1117, Budapest, Hungary
b Corporate Strategic Research, ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company, Route 22 East, Annandale, 08801 New Jersey, U.S.A.

Abstract

A chlorine-free catalyst, prepared in situ from Cu(II) acetate and 2,2'-bipyrimidine, can be used for the oxidative carbonylation of methanol to dimethyl carbonate. In situ high pressure IR and NMR spectroscopic studies suggest the formation of [Cu(2,2'-bipyrimidine)(CO)- (OMe)] as one of the key intermediates. The catalytic performance of the 2,2'-bipyrimidine-modified Cu-catalyst is similar to the CuCl-based system. The chlorine free catalyst can be immobilized by using the copolymer of 5-vinyl-2,2'-bipyrimidine and styrene.

Keywords: Homogeneous catalysis; Oxidative carbonylation; Methanol; Dimethyl carbonate; Copper; 2,2'-Bipyrimidine; Immobilized catalysts.

References: 36 live references.