Production of carbonates.

摘要

A process for the production of an alkyl aryl carbonate comprises reacting an alkanol with a diaryl carbonate at elevated temperature in the presence, as catalyst, of 1,5,7, triaza-bicyclo [4.4.0] dec-5-ene. The alkanol is preferably a C1 to C8 alcohol, more preferably one that is branched at the carbon atom carrying the hydroxyl group. The reaction is conveniently carried out in the liquid phase at 20 to 100 DEG C using a molar excess of the alkanol. The process is particularly suitable for the reaction of t-butanol with diphenyl carbonate to form phenyl t-butyl carbonate.