High selective catalyst CuCl/MCM-41 for oxidative carbonylation of methanol to dimethyl carbonate Original Research Article

In this study, MCM-41 material was synthesised and the mesoporous structure was confirmed by powder XRD patterns. Organic group 3-chloropropyl was anchored on the surface of MCM-41(∞) by reaction of 3-chloropropyltrimethoxysilane with terminal silanol groups on the surface of MCM-41(∞) material. The modified material MCM-41(∞)-Cl still kept its mesoporous structure even after the material was calcined again at 550°C for 4 h and the organic groups were removed. Prepared by solid state ion-exchange under flowing nitrogen, CuCl/MCM-41 catalyst had 100% selectivity of dimethyl carbonate based on methanol and 5–10 wt.% conversion of methanol at 130°C. With the decreasing mole ratio of Si/Al of MCM-41 material, e.g. increasing the aluminium content in the material, the catalytic activity increased because more CuI was loaded on the material. When the reaction temperature increased, the dimethyl carbonate selectivity decreased and three by-products: dimethyl ether, methyl formate, dimethoxymethane were formed at high temperature. Finally increasing the oxygen partial pressure in the feed gases resulted in more dimethyl carbonate formed.