Synthesis of Dimethyl Carbonate from Carbon Dioxide and Methanol in the Presence of Organotin Compounds

The effect of a series of organotin(II) compounds of the formulae Bu 2 SnX 2 (X = OMe, OEt, OBu, Cl Br, OPh, OOCMe, OOC(CH 2 ) 10 Me, SSNEt 2 ; X 2 = O, (OH, Cl) and Bu 2 XSnOSnXBu 2 (X = Cl, Br, OOCMe, OBu, n-Bu) in the synthesis of dimethyl carbonate by the title reaction was studied. It was found that the most efficient compounds of the series were the tin alkoxides Bu 2 Sn(OR) 2 (R = Me, Et, Bu) which afforded the carbonate in up to 160 mole % yields (with respect to the tin compound) under convenient reaction conditions (low CO 2 pressure, 130 - 190 °C, 6 h).