476
4.2 Glycerol Carbonate from Transcarbonation of Glycerol
with Alkyl Carbonates
Transcarbonation, which is quite comparable to transesterification, is the exchange
between carbonate sources and alcohols. In order to convert one carbonate into
another, nucleophilic attack by the oxygen atom of the alcohol hydroxl group to the
carbon atom from the carbonate group takes place. Therefore, it is quite obvious to
prepare glycerol carbonate via the transcarbonation route. Among the other reported
Scheme 11 Synthesis of acetin by esterification of glycerol with acetic acid
Scheme 12 Synthesis of acetin by esterification of glycerol with acetic anhydride
K. Bhaduri et al.