Kinetics and mechanism of the catalytic reaction between alcohols and dimethyl carbonate

Abstract

The mechanism of the reaction between alcohols and dimethyl carbonate, catalyzed by dicobalt octacarbonyl Co₂(CO)₈, is studied by means of mathematical modeling. Kinetic models for possible schemes of chemical transformations are constructed at different initial concentrations of the catalyst. Based on a comparative analysis of activation energies of possible stages of chemical transformations, possible reaction pathways are determined and an appropriate mechanism is selected.