Process for preparing dialkyl carbonates from alkylene carbonates and alcohols

US8338631B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Bayer MaterialScience AG · DE

Inventors

• Friedhelm Risse · Hanerau-Hademarschen, DE
• Pieter Ooms · Krefeld, DE
• Andre Düx · Bogen, DE
• Marcus Grünewald · Dortmund, DE
• Thomas Pancur · Altenholz, DE
• Arthur Susanto
• Georg Ronge · Mülheim an der Ruhr, DE
• Johan Vanden Eynde · Zwijnaarde, BE
• Wim Wuytack · Zele, BE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 25, 2010
• Grant date: Dec 25, 2012
• Expiry date: Nov 8, 2030

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02P20/10
• WIPO field: Chemical engineering
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The present invention relates to a continuous process for preparing lower dialkyl carbonates as main product and alkylene glycol as by-product by catalyzed transesterification of a cyclic alkylene carbonate (e.g. ethylene carbonate or propylene carbonate) with lower alcohols, where the reaction of the alkylene carbonate is carried out with an alcohol containing dialkyl carbonate in countercurrent, characterized in that introduction of a stream containing at least 99.5% by weight of alcohol takes place below the point of introduction for the alcohol containing dialkyl carbonate in a particular spacing ratio between the abovementioned points of introduction.