Experimental study demonstrates efficient synthesis of glycerol carbonate using a deep eutectic solvent catalyst, suggesting a green route for chemical valorization.
Key Points
To synthesize glycerol carbonate through the transesterification of glycerol and propylene carbonate using a series of novel, environmentally friendly deep eutectic solvents as catalysts.
Synthesized deep eutectic solvents using NaHCO3 as a hydrogen bond acceptor and glycerol or ethylene glycol as hydrogen bond donors.
Characterized solvent properties using FT-IR, NMR, TGA, and DSC, and evaluated reaction performance across various temperatures, molar ratios, catalyst loadings, and reaction times.
A NaHCO3:glycerol molar ratio of 1:5 achieved a glycerol conversion of 99.99% and a glycerol carbonate yield of 99.54% at 135 °C, a 2:1 propylene carbonate-to-glycerol ratio, 5 wt% catalyst loading, and a 4-hour reaction time.
The NaHCO3:glycerol catalyst maintained stable catalytic performance over five consecutive cycles without notable loss of activity.