Diphenyl Carbonate from Ethylene Carbonate via Dimethyl Carbonate by Asahi Technology

This review is sequel of PEP Review 01-06. We present a review of technology on conversion of ethylene carbonate to diphenyl carbonate via dimethyl carbonate reported in patents assigned to Asahi Chemical. This review also presents a technoeconomic evaluation of this technology, based on the available public information.

Also presented is economic comparison between the present process and those of two other DPC processes - DPC from phenol by direct phosgenation, and DPC from DMC by carbonylation. We conclude that the present process requires relatively lower capital investment than the latter two processes. However, high costs of raw materials, cost of ethylene carbonate in particular, make DPC product value of the present process less competitive against the other two processes.