Synthesis of glycidol via transesterification glycerol with dimethylcarbonate in the presence of composites based on a layered titanosilicate AM-4 and ZIF-8

Abstract

In this study, the one-pot synthesis of glycidol from glycerol (Gly) and dimethyl carbonate (DMC) was demonstrated in the presence of novel composite materials based on the microporous layered titanosilicate AM-4 (Aveiro-Manchester material number 4) and a zeolitic imidazolate framework ZIF-8. It was found that the reaction rate and selectivity towards glycidol depended on the ZIF-8 content in composite. Maximum 74.4% yield of glycidol with 92.5% conversion of glycerol was observed in the presence of 0.5%ZIF-8/AM-4 at DMC/Gly-molar ratio of 2, catalyst/glycerol weight ratio of 7.9 wt.% and temperature of 100°C for 8 h. The catalytic properties of developed ZIF-8/AM-4 composite correlated with (1) ZIF-8 particle size, (2) the decreasing basic sites strength, and (3) the increasing microporosity of materials.