| abstract |
A process for the production of a dialkyl carbonate and a diol from a cyclic carbonate and an aliphatic monohydric alcohol wherein the cyclic carbonate and aliphatic monohydric alcohol are reacted in the presence of a transesterification catalyst to form a crude product stream which contains a dialkyl carbonate, a diol, a hydroxy alkyl carbonate, which is formed as an intermediate of the two step transesterification reaction, unreacted aliphatic monohydric alcohol and unreacted cyclic carbonate. The dialkyl carbonate and unreacted aliphatic monohydric alcohol are separated from the crude product stream and then the hydroxy alkyl carbonate is diminished, reduced or eliminated from the crude product stream, prior to the separation and purification steps needed to recover the diol, resulting in improved yields and product purity. |