The design of efficient carbonate interchange reactions with catechol carbonate

Catechol carbonate (CC) has been investigated as an innovative and highly active reactant for carbonate interchange reactions (CIRs). Under mild conditions (atmospheric pressure, and 60-80°C), the selective synthesis of symmetric aliphatic carbonates (ROCO2R) has been achieved by the reaction of a slight excess of both primary and secondary alcohols with CC in the presence of NaOMe or MgO as a catalyst. Quantitative conversions have been reached in only 1 hour and products have been isolated in yields of up to 58% for dibutylcarbonate. Of note is that the reaction of glycerol with CC also proceeded under similar conditions (40-60°C, 1 atm) to afford glycerol carbonate (96-98%). The comparison of the reactivity of CC with that of conventional dialkyl carbonates, including dimethyl carbonate (DMC) and ethylene carbonate (EC), proved the superior performance of CC in all the investigated CIR processes. Accordingly, a mechanism has been formulated based on the leaving group ability of a catecholate anion originating from CC.