Production of oxygenated compounds from carbon monoxide and dimethyl carbonate

1. A method of producing at least one oxygenated compound selected from the group consisting of methyl acetate, dimethyl ether, formaldehyde, and mixtures thereof, comprising:

reacting dimethyl carbonate with carbon monoxide under conditions which convert at least a portion of said dimethyl carbonate and at least a portion of said carbon monoxide to said at least one oxygenated compound, wherein said dimethyl carbonate and said carbon monoxide are reacted in the presence of at least one zeolite catalyst selected from the group consisting of faujasite zeolites, zeolite Beta, Linde Type L (LTL) zeolite, MCM-41, and mixtures thereof.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one zeolite is a faujasite zeolite.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one zeolite is zeolite Beta.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one zeolite is LTL zeolite.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one zeolite is MCM-41.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one oxygenated compound is methyl acetate.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said carbon monoxide is obtained from synthesis gas.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said dimethyl carbonate is reacted with said carbon monoxide at a temperature of from about 100° C. to about 600° C.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said dimethyl carbonate is reacted with said carbon monoxide at a temperature of from about 100° C. to about 400° C.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said dimethyl carbonate is reacted with said carbon monoxide at a pressure of from about 14 psi to about 900 psi.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said dimethyl carbonate is reacted with said carbon monoxide at a molar ratio of dimethyl carbonate to carbon monoxide of from about 0.25:1 to about 10:1.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said dimethyl carbonate is reacted with said carbon monoxide at a molar ratio of dimethyl carbonate to carbon monoxide of from about 0.25:1 to about 2:1.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said dimethyl carbonate is reacted with said carbon monoxide at a molar ratio of dimethyl carbonate to carbon monoxide of from about 0.5:1 to about 1:1.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein said dimethyl carbonate is reacted with said carbon monoxide in a three-phase reactor, wherein said at least one zeolite catalyst is suspended in inert liquid.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said inert liquid is an inert oil.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein said dimethyl carbonate is reacted with said carbon monoxide in a fixed bed reactor containing said at least one zeolite catalyst.

17. A method of producing methyl acetate, comprising:

(a) reacting dimethyl carbonate with synthesis gas in the presence of at least one zeolite catalyst, said synthesis gas containing carbon monoxide, under conditions which convert at least a portion of said dimethyl carbonate at least a portion of said carbon monoxide to a product comprising methyl acetate, dimethyl ether, formaldehyde, carbon dioxide, and unreacted synthesis gas, wherein said at least one zeolite catalyst is selected from the group consisting of faujasite zeolites, zeolite Beta, Linde Type L (LTL) zeolite, MCM-41, and mixtures thereof;

(b) separating said methyl acetate from said dimethyl ether, said formaldehyde, said carbon dioxide, and said unreacted synthesis gas;

(c) subjecting said dimethyl ether, said formaldehyde, said carbon dioxide, and said unreacted synthesis gas to catalytic reforming to produce additional synthesis gas; and

(d) reacting said unreacted synthesis gas and said additional synthesis gas of step (c) with said dimethyl carbonate in step (a).