Solvent-free carbonylation of glycerol with urea using metal loaded MCM-41 catalysts

Abstract

Reacting glycerol with urea is the most attractive option for the production of glycerol carbonate (GC) as it utilizes two inexpensive chemicals readily available in the chemical cycle. The overall result is the chemical fixation of carbon dioxide. A Zn/MCM-41(im) catalyst prepared by a wet impregnation method exhibited excellent activity for the reaction of glycerol and urea with 75% glycerol conversion and 98% selectivity to GC. Such excellent activity of the catalyst is explained based on the presence of both basic and acidic sites on the same catalyst which activates the glycerol and urea molecules, respectively.