Design of bifunctional Ce-Zn mixed metal oxide catalysts for sustainable and phosgene-free production of propylene carbonate via urea alcoholysis

Joshi, Pranav (avtor), Srivastava, Vimal Chandra (avtor), Rani, Mahima (avtor), Lavrenčič Štangar, Urška (avtor), Kumar, Praveen (avtor)

Propylene carbonate (PC) is a high-value cyclic carbonate that has become more and more essential in green solvents, polymer processing, gas purification, pharmaceutical intermediates, and lithium-ion battery electrolytes. In this work, we have developed a sustainable and phosgene-free synthesis of PC via the alcoholysis of urea with propylene glycol (PG) using Cesingle bondZn mixed metal oxide catalysts. This approach combines the use of inexpensive and less sensitive substrates with the potential of extracting ammonia as a by-product, providing an interesting alternative to present-day PC production methods. A series of Ce$_x$-Zn$_{(1-x)}$ mixed oxide catalysts with varied Ce/Zn molar ratios were prepared by the co-precipitation method and thoroughly tested for their catalytic performance. The optimal conditions were 170 °C, 4 h, 5 wt% catalyst loading, and a PG/urea molar ratio of 1.5. Further, the effect of various reaction parameters was studied to understand the reaction behavior. In brief, this work demonstrates Cesingle bondZn mixed metal oxides as promising catalysts for the greener and sustainable synthesis of propylene carbonate via the urea alcoholysis process.

• Jezik: Angleški jezik
• Ključne besede: propylene carbonate, urea alcoholysis, mixed metal oxides, sustainable catalysis, cyclic carbonates, bifunctional catalysis
• Vrsta gradiva: Članek v reviji
• Tipologija: 1.01 - Izvirni znanstveni članek
• Organizacija: FKKT - Fakulteta za kemijo in kemijsko tehnologijo
• Status publikacije: Objavljeno
• Različica publikacije: Objavljena publikacija
• Leto izida: 2026
• Št. strani: 13 str.
• Številčenje: Vol. 194, pt. 1, art.117570
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-188610
• UDK: 546.3-31:544.47
• ISSN pri članku: 1387-7003
• DOI: 10.1016/j.inoche.2026.117570
• COBISS.SI-ID: 292175107
• Datum objave v RUL: 24.09.2026

Gradivo je del revije

• Naslov: Inorganic chemistry communications
• Skrajšan naslov: Inorg. chem. commun.
• Založnik: Elsevier
• ISSN: 1387-7003
• COBISS.SI-ID: 759599

Licence

• Licenca: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Priznanje avtorstva 4.0 Mednarodna
• Povezava: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.sl
• Opis: To je standardna licenca Creative Commons, ki daje uporabnikom največ možnosti za nadaljnjo uporabo dela, pri čemer morajo navesti avtorja.

Sekundarni jezik

• Jezik: Slovenski jezik
• Ključne besede: propilen karbonat, alkoholiza sečnine, mešani kovinski oksidi, trajnostna kataliza, ciklični karbonati, bifunkcionalna kataliza