Synthesis of diphenyl carbonate (DPC)
from dimethyl carbonate (DMC)
with phenol is the most prominent application of transesterification
of dialkyl carbonates (DACs); this is a significant step for the nonphosgene
manufacturing of polycarbonate, which is considered to be one of the
best examples of green and sustainable transformations available on
such a large scale. In the last decades, extensive efforts have been
focusing on atom efficiency, increased safety, waste avoidance, and
other process improvements for the transesterification synthesis of
DPC. However, low product selectivity, separation, and catalyst deactivation
remain bottlenecks of the process, despite recent significant progress.
Therefore, the present interest focuses on rational design of highly
efficient and stable catalysts. However, there is still a lack of
a comprehensive summary on catalyst design and mechanism involved.
Therefore, in this work, transesterification of DMC with phenol has
been critically revised as a model case, to illustrate the structure–performance
correlation and reaction pathways for transesterification with phenols.
In this perspective, recent advances on experimental and investigations
on rational design of heterogeneous catalysts, for facile liquid-phase
reaction of DMC with phenol, have been systematically discussed, in
terms of catalyst synthesis, surface characterization, and structure–function
relationship. More importantly, plausible mechanisms for transesterification
of DMC with phenol will be systematically discussed with the aim to
provide insights into fundamental understanding on transesterification
chemistry and improvement of activity, selectivity, and stability
of these catalytic materials.