- Carbonates have a great potential as sustainable and green solvents and reagents. They are prepared by reaction of an alcohol and carbon dioxide and are further classified as linear or cyclic carbonates.
- Small linear carbonates like Di-methyl carbonate (DMC) act as a platform chemical to prepare higher alkyl carbonates by transesterification.
- Mono-ethylene glycol is co-produced with DMC when ethylene oxide is reacted with CO₂.