Reaction of Dialkyltin Methoxide with Carbon Dioxide Relevant to the Mechanism of Catalytic Carbonate Synthesis

Conversion of carbon dioxide to industrially useful compounds has been a challenge for synthetic chemists and has recently attracted much interest. One of the most attractive synthetic goals starting from CO{sub 2} is dimethyl carbonate (DMC). Indeed, the straightforward reaction of methanol and CO{sub 2} catalyzed by R{sub 2}Sn(OMe){sub 2} leading to DMC has been intensively studied although catalytic performance is still far from satisfactory. The authors have recently enhanced the catalytic efficiency of R{sub 2}Sn(OMe){sub 2} using dehydrated derivatives of methanol (e.g., ortho esters and acetals) as a starting material under supercritical CO{sub 2} conditions.