Modification g‐C3N4 by MgO and its application for glycerol carbonate synthesis from glycerol and dimethyl carbonate

B Reisi, A Najafi Chermahini, Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy, 2022, e214007

Glycerol (GLY) as a by-product in bio-diesel synthesis should be converted to more valuable compounds. In the present study, MgO/graphitic carbon nitride (MgO/g-C₃N₄) was synthesized and characterized using several techniques, including FESEM, Fourier transform infrared, X-ray diffraction, TEM, and CO₂-TPD. The MgO/g-C₃N₄ catalysts illustrated high catalytic activity compared with pure g-C₃N₄ and MgO for conversion of glycerol to glycerol carbonate (GC) through transesterification reaction between GLY and dimethyl carbonate (DMC). According to the results, the optimum reaction conditions were: reaction time of 4 h, reaction temperature of 80°C, molar ratio of reactants (DMC:GLY) 3:1, and MgO/C₃N₄ catalyst dosage of 30 mg. The catalyst with a certain ratio of MgO:g-C₃N₄ = 6:1 showed the maximum GC yield of 95.47% at 80°C and good reusability. The simple preparation method, good catalytic activity, and reusability of the catalyst shows capability of this catalytic system on an industrial scale.

https://aiche.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ep.14007