Carbonation Reaction of Epoxidized Linseed Oil: Comparative Performance of TBABr and TBAI as Catalysts

Cyclic carbonates are considered to be green nontoxic intermediates with important applications in polymer synthesis and fuel additives as polar solvents high boiling points. The carbonation of epoxidized vegetable oils is a very step the nonisocyanate polyurethane. This reaction usually performed carbon dioxide presence an ionic liquid that acts both solvent catalyst, most studied catalyst being tetra-n-butylammonium bromide (TBABr). Most works have reported yields good conversions. In addition, studies iodide (TBAI) shown it improve conversion short-chain epoxides but not fatty acid esters some oils. current study, linseed oil (ELO) (5.8 epoxide group per molecule) was carried out autoclave-type reactor under atmosphere (60 psi) variables evaluated were temperature (110°C 140°C), load (2.5 mol% 5.0 mol%), time (24 h 48 h), type (TBABr TBAI). results study showed factor affecting reaction. However, halohydrins ketones also found formed from side reactions promoted mainly by TBAI at 140°C identified quantified using FTIR-HATR, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR spectroscopy techniques. best namely, 100% conversion, 87.9% carbonation, selectivity, relatively few (1.7% 1.7% ketones)were: 2.5 TBABr, 110°C, 24 h. increased frequency undesirable during ELO.