Retraction: One-pot synthesis of glycidol from glycerol and dimethyl carbonate over a highly efficient and easily available solid catalyst NaAlO2 (Green Chemistry (2013) 15 (2929-2934) DOI: 10.1039/C3GC40855H)

Abstract

We, the named authors, hereby wholly retract this Green Chemistry article. In this article, we report the development of a one-pot synthesis of glycidol from glycerol and dimethyl carbonate using a sodium aluminate catalyst. Further investigation by 1H NMR has revealed that upon analysis of the product by gas chromatography, glycidol was formed due to decomposition of glycerol carbonate at high temperature. As such the catalyst converts glycerol selectively to glycerol carbonate, and not glycidol. The authors would like to thank Damien Debecker and Ramesh Sreerangappa for bringing this matter to their attention and apologise for any inconvenience to authors and readers. Signed: Rongxian Bai, Hongkun Zhang, Fuming Mei, Shu Wang, Tao Li, Yanlong Gu and Guangxing Li, 7th October 2016. Retraction endorsed by Sam Keltie, Executive Editor, Green Chemistry, 29th July 2016..