Advances in catalyst and mechanism for synthesis of dimethyl carbonate by transesterification

Recent advances in catalysts for synthesis of dimethyl carbonate (DMC) by one-step transesterification were reviewed. Catalytic mechanisms of cycloaddition and transesterification in synthesizing DMC from epoxide, CO₂ and methanol with metal complexes, metal salts, quaternary ammonium halide salts, ionic liquids as catalysts were investigated. Based on analysis of some proposed possible reaction mechanisms of one-step and two-step methods, the developments of highly active homogeneous catalysts and heterogeneous supported catalysts for one-step reaction had particular guiding significance for promoting industrialized production of DMC.