Patent ID: 7084292

Claim:
An integrated process for the production of a dialkyl carbonate and a diol from an alkylene oxide, carbon dioxide and an aliphatic monohydric alcohol comprising: (a) reacting an alkylene oxide with carbon dioxide in the presence of a homogeneous carbonation catalyst in a first reaction zone at a temperature in the range of about 50 to 250° C. and at a pressure of at least about 1379 kPa (200 psi) to provide a crude cyclic carbonate stream comprising a cyclic carbonate and homogeneous carbonation catalyst in an amount of 0.1 to 5 wt %; (b) directing said crude cyclic carbonate stream into a second reaction zone; and (c) reacting said cyclic carbonate with an aliphatic monohydric alcohol in said second reaction zone in the presence of said homogeneous carbonation catalyst to provide a crude product stream comprising a dialkyl carbonate and diol, wherein said crude cyclic carbonate stream has not been subjected to a separation other than to remove an amount of unreacted alkylene oxide, an amount of unreacted carbon dioxide, or both; wherein said homogeneous carbonation catalyst of (a) and (c) is a mixture comprising a halide containing component and a bicarbonate.