Diphenyl Carbonate: A Highly Reactive and Green Carbonyl Source for the Synthesis of Cyclic Carbonates

A practical, safe, and highly efficient carbonylation system involving a diphenyl carbonate, an organocatalyst, and various diols is presented herein and produces highly valuable cyclic carbonates. In reactions with a wide range of diols, diphenyl carbonate was activated by bicyclic guanidine 1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene (TBD) as a catalyst, which successfully replaced highly toxic and unstable phosgene or its derivatives while maintaining the desired high reactivity. Moreover, this new system can be used to synthesize sterically demanding cyclic carbonates such as tetrasubstituted pinacol carbonates, which are not accessible via other conventional methods.