Product Description of Dimethyl Carbonate CAS#616-38-6
Dimethyl carbonate, abbreviated as DMC, is a colourless clear liquid with a distinctive odour under ambient conditions. Its relative density (D20/4) is 1.0694, melting point 4°C, boiling point 90.3°C, open‑cup flash point 21.7°C, closed‑cup flash point 16.7°C, and refractive index (nD20) 1.3687.
DMC is a flammable substance with low toxicity. It can be mixed freely in all ratios with most organic solvents including alcohols, ketones and esters, while only dissolving sparingly in water. As an efficient methylation reagent, it boasts far lower toxicity and superior biodegradability than classic methylating agents such as methyl iodide and dimethyl sulfate.
Phosgene‑based synthesis routes, the older manufacturing technology, have fallen out of widespread use. At present, DMC is mainly produced by the catalytic oxidative carbonylation of methanol with oxygen, which is recognised as a more eco‑friendly process.
Dimethyl carbonate is suitable for the methylation of aniline, phenol, carboxylic acids and other substrates. Some reactions demand elevated pressure; for the methylation of carboxylic acids with DMC under reflux conditions, DBU may be introduced to act as a catalyst.
Dimethyl carbonate Chemical Properties
Melting point | 2-4 °C (lit.) |
Boiling point | 90 °C (lit.) |
density | 1.069 g/mL at 25 °C (lit.) |
vapor density | 3.1 (vs air) |
vapor pressure | 18 mm Hg ( 21.1 °C) |
refractive index | n20/D 1.368(lit.) |
Fp | 65 °F |
storage temp. | Store below +30°C. |
solubility | 139g/l |
form | Liquid |
color | <50(APHA) |
Odor | Pleasant |
explosive limit | 4.22-12.87%(V) |
Water Solubility | 139 g/L |
Sensitive | Moisture Sensitive |
Merck | 143241 |
BRN | 635821 |
Dielectric constant | 3.17 |
Stability: | Stable. Highly flammable. Incompatible with strong oxidizing agents, potassium t-butoxide. |
InChIKey | IEJIGPNLZYLLBP-UHFFFAOYSA-N |
LogP | 0.23-0.354 at 20-25℃ |
CAS DataBase Reference | 616-38-6(CAS DataBase Reference) |
NIST Chemistry Reference | Carbonic acid, dimethyl ester(616-38-6) |
EPA Substance Registry System | Carbonic acid, dimethyl ester (616-38-6) |
Safety Information
Hazard Codes | F |
Risk Statements | 11 |
Safety Statements | 9-16-2017/9/16 |
RIDADR | UN 1161 3/PG 2 |
WGK Germany | 1 |
RTECS | FG0450000 |
Autoignition Temperature | 458 °C |
TSCA | Yes |
HS Code | 2920 90 10 |
HazardClass | 3 |
PackingGroup | II |
Hazardous Substances Data | 616-38-6(Hazardous Substances Data) |
Toxicity | LD50 in rats (g/kg): 13.8 orally; 2.5 dermally; LC50 (4 hr) in rats (mg/l): 140 by inhalation (Ono) |
Product Application of Dimethyl Carbonate CAS#616-38-6
Dimethyl carbonate serves extensively as a solvent for organic synthesis and acts as an eco-friendly replacement for methyl ethyl ketone, tert-butyl acetate, p-chlorobenzotrifluoride and other similar solvents.
It is a critical precursor for synthesizing diphenyl carbonate, the core feedstock used to produce bisphenol A polycarbonate. Moreover, dimethyl carbonate works as a green methylation reagent to modify aniline, phenols and carboxylic acids.
Thanks to its high oxygen content, it can be formulated as a fuel additive. Besides this, dimethyl carbonate is also applied within supercapacitor and lithium-ion battery systems.
As a low-hazard chemical, dimethyl carbonate provides a safer option than dimethyl sulfate and methyl halides for methylation reactions. It can also take the place of phosgene in methoxycarbonylation and carbonylation transformations.
