Stability of Diethyl Carbonate in the Presence of Acidic and Basic Solvents

Abstract

Reducing carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions is an inevitable measure for fighting anthropogenic climate change. Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) technologies are gaining rising attention as an additional contributor to reaching the Paris Agreement goals. Giving CO₂ a value as a feedstock to be refined into chemicals to be used in industry is a crucial aspect of making these technologies interesting for vast industrial sectors. The synthesis of diethyl carbonate (DEC) is recognized as a promising prospect for the successful implementation of CCU. DEC is considered a fully biodegradable, low-toxic solvent, which can be synthesized from CO₂ and ethanol in the presence of a catalyst. DEC may be a non-toxic alternative to other solvents such as toluene or methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK).
The optimization of DEC synthesis is one aspect that is under investigation today. For the exploration of DEC's applicability, an extensive amount of data is beneficial. Many applications of solvents involve the presence of acids and bases. Hence, an interest in DEC in various environments is reasonable. The decomposition of DEC after contact with water, different acids and bases at room temperature, and the boiling point was determined experimentally to characterize chemical stability. Further, the influence of sodium chloride and a cerium-based catalyst used in DEC synthesis was investigated.