Synthesis of dimethyl carbonate by transesterification with various MgO-CeO2 mixed oxide catalysts

Abstract

\The transesterification of ethylene carbonate (EC) with methanol to co-generate dimethyl carbonate (DMC) and ethylene glycol over the MgO, CeO2 and mixed oxide thereof was studied using a fixed-bed isothermal tube reactor. In all mixed oxide, the presence of cerium led to a decrease of BET surface area and pore volume as compared to pure magnesia. X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed that no mixed phases were observed, but MgO (periclase) and CeO2 (cerianite) phases. The catalytic activity intensely depends on the surface basicity and the base strength distribution, but not on the surface area and pore volume. It was found that a high EC conversion of 67% with DMC selectivity of 95% could be obtained by catalyst with cerium content around 25 mol%.