Advancing the synthesis of trimethylene carbonate: a high-yield green synthesis route
Zisheng Ning, Yuhan Li, Lingmei Dai, Dehua Liu, Wei Du
TL;DR
This paper introduces a new green method to efficiently produce trimethylene carbonate using enzymes and bio-based materials.
Contribution
A novel enzymatic synthesis route for trimethylene carbonate with high yield and environmental benefits is proposed.
Findings
A lipase-catalyzed process using 1,3-propanediol and dimethyl carbonate achieves an 88% TMC yield.
The by-product reacts with 1,3-PDO to regenerate an intermediate, improving overall yield.
1,3-PDO acts as both a reactant and acid catalyst in the nucleophilic substitution reaction.
Abstract
Trimethylene carbonate (TMC) is an innovative modifier for polylactic acid and a promising biodegradable polymer monomer with broad application potential. However, industrial production of TMC faces challenges such as high catalyst costs, safety issues, and environmental impacts. Enzymatic catalysis offers a potential alternative, but its low product yields have hindered progress. In this study, we introduce a novel synthesis route for TMC using bio-based 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PDO) and dimethyl carbonate (DMC) as substrates. This process involves lipase-catalyzed formation of the intermediate 3-hydroxypropyl methyl carbonate (P1), which is then cyclized to produce TMC. Notably, the by-product, C,C’-1,3-propanediyl C,C’-dimethyl ester (P2), reacts with 1,3-PDO to regenerate P1, further enhancing the overall TMC yield. The mechanism exploration reveals that 1,3-PDO acts as both a reactant…
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Taxonomy
Topicsbiodegradable polymer synthesis and properties · Carbon dioxide utilization in catalysis · Chemistry and Chemical Engineering