Process for preparing dialkyl carbonate and alkanediol

1. A process for the preparation of a dialkyl carbonate and an alkanediol, comprising:

(a) reacting an alkylene carbonate and an alkanol to obtain a product mixture containing unconverted alkylene carbonate, unconverted alkanol, dialkyl carbonate, alkanediol and an ether alkanol impurity;

(b) separating unconverted alkylene carbonate and alkanediol from the product mixture to obtain a top stream containing unconverted alkanol, dialkyl carbonate and the ether alkanol impurity;

(c) recovering the alkanediol;

(d) separating unconverted alkanol from the top stream obtained in step (b) to obtain a bottom stream containing dialkyl carbonate and the ether alkanol impurity; and

(e) subjecting the bottom stream obtained in step (d) to extractive distillation using an extraction solvent to obtain a top stream comprising dialkyl carbonate and a bottom stream comprising the extraction solvent and the ether alkanol impurity, wherein the extraction solvent is an organic compound containing one or more hydroxyl groups and one or more ester moieties and/or ether moieties; and

(f) removing the ether alkanol impurity from the bottom stream obtained in step (e) and recycling the extraction solvent to step (e).

2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the alkylene carbonate is a C 2 -C 6 alkylene carbonate, and the alkanol is a C 1 -C 4 alkanol.

3. The process according to claim 2 , wherein the alkylene carbonate is ethylene carbonate or propylene carbonate, the alkanol is ethanol and the dialkyl carbonate is diethyl carbonate.

4. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the extraction solvent is an ester of formula R 1 X(C═O)OR 2 wherein X is absent or is an oxygen atom and R 1 and R 2 comprise a total of 2 to 20 carbon atoms and contain a total of one or more hydroxyl groups.

5. The process according to claim 4 , wherein the ester of formula R 1 X(C═O)OR 2 is:

an ester wherein X is absent which originates from reacting an alkanol of formula R 2 OH containing 2 or more hydroxyl groups with a carboxylic acid of formula R 1 (C═O)OH, wherein at least one of the hydroxyl groups of the alkanol is not esterified and one of the hydroxyl groups of the alkanol is esterified; or

an ester wherein X is absent, and R 1 contains one or more hydroxyl groups which originates from reacting an alkanol of formula R 2 OH containing 1 or more hydroxyl groups with a carboxylic acid of formula R 1 (C═O)OH wherein R 1 contains one or more hydroxyl groups; or

an alkylene carbonate wherein X is an oxygen atom and R 1 and R 2 are connected to form a ring; or

a carbonate wherein X is an oxygen atom and R 1 and R 2 are not connected to form a ring.

6. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the extraction solvent is an ether of formula R 4 —O—R 5 and R 4 and R 5 comprise a total of 2 to 20 carbon atoms and contain a total of one or more hydroxyl groups.

7. The process according to claim 6 , wherein the ether of formula R 4 —O—R 5 is:

a polyalkylene glycol and R 4 and R 5 contain a total of two hydroxyl groups; or

an ether of an alkanol of formula R 4 OH containing 2 or more hydroxyl groups, wherein at least one of the hydroxyl groups of the alkanol is not etherified and at least one of the hydroxyl groups of the alkanol is etherified, and an alkanol of formula R 5 OH containing 1 or more hydroxyl groups; or an acetal or a ketal.

8. A process for removing an ether alkanol impurity from a stream containing a dialkyl carbonate and the ether alkanol impurity, comprising:

(e) subjecting the stream containing a dialkyl carbonate and the ether alkanol impurity to extractive distillation using an extraction solvent to obtain a top stream comprising dialkyl carbonate and a bottom stream comprising the extraction solvent and the ether alkanol impurity, wherein the extraction solvent is an organic compound containing one or more hydroxyl groups and one or more ester moieties and/or ether moieties; and

(f) removing the ether alkanol impurity from the bottom stream obtained in step (e) and recycling the extraction solvent to step (e).

9. A process for making a diaryl carbonate, comprising removing an ether alkanol impurity from a stream containing a dialkyl carbonate and the ether alkanol impurity in accordance with the process of claim 1 , and then contacting, in the presence of a transesterification catalyst, an aryl alcohol with the stream containing the dialkyl carbonate.