Study On the Synthesis of Glycerol Carbonate Catalyzed by Candida Antarctic lipase B

In this study, synthesis of glycerol carbonate from glycerol and dimethyl carbonate in THF catalyzed by Candida Antarctic lipase B (CALB) was studied. Four products were detected from the reaction mixture,of which two more products were found compare to that in the literature. Among the four products, the monoglyceride, 4-(methoycarbonyloxymethyl)-1,3-dioxolan-2-one and its isomer converted to the diglycerides gradually and partially during the reaction . With an initial water content of 8% (of glycerol, w/w), molar ratio of glycerol to DMC of 1:1, 60 ^oC, lipase loading of 3889 U/g DMC,0.05 g glycerol/mL THF, the highest conversion of glycerol of 85% was achieved at pH7 in 23 h. The pH value did not affect the reaction dramatically in pH6-9.