Dimethyl carbonate mixed organic carbonates

A recent proposal concerns mixed organic-aqueous tunable solvents (OATS) such as dimethyl ether-water, the solubility of which for substrates can be influenced by a third component such as carbon dioxide. CO2 acts as a antisolvent and as a switch to cause a phase separation and to decant the phases from each other (preferably under pressure). This behavior makes the operation of bi- or multiphase homogeneous catalytic processes easier and more economic the preferential dissolution at modest pressure of carbon dioxide causes phase separation which results in large distribution coefEcients of target molecules in biphasic organic-aqueous systems. This extraordinary behavior lead to a sophisticated flow scheme (Figure 6) [7]. 

The electrolyte for LIBs is a mixture of organic solvents and an electrolyte salt compoimd. The common solvents are a mixture of cyclic carbonate esters, such as ethylene carbonate and propylene carbonate, and linear carbonate esters, such as dimethyl carbonate and diethyl carbonate. The solution is completed with the addition of a salt compound such as LiPFe or LiBp4. Electrolyte solutions must enable the Li ions to transport freely, which requires both high dielectric constant and low viscosity. Cyclic carbonate esters have a high dielectric constant but high viscosity, while linear carbonate esters have low viscosity but low dielectric constant. Suitable electrolyte solutions are therefore obtained by mixing the two. 

While water has been used as a solvent more than any other media, nonaqueous solvents [e.g., acetonitrile, propylene carbonate, dimethylformamide (DMF), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), or methanol] have also frequently been used. Mixed solvents may also be considered for certain applications. Double-distilled water is adequate for most work in aqueous media. Triple-distilled water is often required when trace (stripping) analysis is concerned. Organic solvents often require drying or purification procedures. These and other solvent-related considerations have been reviewed by Mann (3). 

Ethers are organic compounds structurally related to alcohols. The oxygen atom in an ether group, however, is bonded not to a carbon and a hydrogen but rather to two carbons. As we see in Figure 12.14, ethanol and dimethyl ether have the same chemical formula, C2H(50, but their physical properties are vastly different. Whereas ethanol is a liquid at room temperature (boiling point 78°C) and mixes quite well with water, dimethyl ether is a gas at room temperature (boiling point —25°C) and is much less soluble in water. 

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