Catalytic Hydrogenation of Cyclic Carbonates: A Practical Approach from CO₂ and Epoxides to Methanol and Diols

Abstract

Two birds with one stone: the simultaneous production of two important bulk chemicals, methanol and ethylene glycol, from CO(2) and ethylene oxide has been achieved under mild conditions by the highly efficient homogeneous catalytic hydrogenation of ethylene carbonate in the presence of a (PNP)Ru(II) catalyst.