Transesterification between methanol and ethylene carbonate over fixed-bed K/MgO catalyst for reactive distillation

Abstract

DMC was continuously synthesized by transesterification between EC and methanol using fixed-bed K/MgO catalyst. K/MgO catalyst has been applied and proven to be effective to DMC production in our previous experiment. MgO catalyst was formed as pellet shape to be employed as a Support for the fixed-bed catalyst in continuous system. Calcinations temperature and catalyst content were changed to prepare K/MgO pellet catalyst. In the presence of the catalyst, the effects of reaction temperature and pressure, LHSV, molar ratio of reactants on DMC synthesis were intensively investigated. In the reaction conditions of LHSV = 0.1 h(-1), reaction temperature of 125degreesC, pressure of 6.8 X 10(2) kPa and molar ratio between MeOH and EC of 4.0, it has shown a DMC selectivity around 100% and DMC yield of 52-53% close to equilibrium state. The properly prepared catalyst will be applied to reactive distillation system to maximize conversion of reactants in the future. In the long run, we intend to establish much easier DMC synthetic process using a single column for reaction and distillation.