EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN FOR CO2 CONVERSION INTO DIMETHYLCARBONATE (DMC) USING Bu2SnO AT SUBCRITICAL CONDITIONS

Abstract

CO2 conversion into dimethylcarbonate (DMC) was studied by the reaction with methanol at subcritical conditions, using dibutyltin(IV) oxide (Bu2SnO) or dibutyltin(IV) dimethoxide (Bu2Sn(OMe)2) as catalysts. Fractional factorial and complete factorial designs were used to evaluate the most important factors capable of affecting this conversion reaction. This study found that the optimal conditions for CO2 conversion into DMC using But2SnO were a reaction pressure of 45 bar, a volume of methanol of 5mL, a temperature of 110oC, and a reaction time of 6 hours. The present study also employed these optimal conditions with Bu2Sn(OMe)2. Even under subcritical conditions, results showed a DMC yield (based on Sn) of 40 % using Bu2Sn(OMe)2, with TON= 1.