Ethylene carbonate

Chemical properties

colourless crystals

The Uses of Ethylene carbonate

Ethylene carbonate is an ester of ethylene glycol and carbonic acid. Ethylene carbonate is used as a polar solvent with a molecular dipole moment of 4.9 D, only 0.1 D lower than that of propylene carb onate. It can be used as a high permittivity component of electrolytes in lithium batteries.

The Uses of Ethylene carbonate

Solvent for many polymers and resins, plasticisers, rubbers and textiles.Ethylene carbonate is used as a polar solvent and a high permittivity component of electrolytes in lithium batteries. It finds application in surface coatings, dyes, fibers and plastics. It is also used as a plasticizer and as a precursor to vinylene carbonate. Further, it is used in the preparation of dimethyl carbonate, which acts as a useful solvent and a mild methylating agent.

The Uses of Ethylene carbonate

Ethylene carbonate has been used:
In the synthesis of aliphatic polyurethanes using diamines and diols.
As a precursor for ring-opening polymerization using KOH as initiator.
As a reactant in the preparation of dimethyl carbonate, glycerol carbonate by transesterification reaction.

Definition

ChEBI: Ethylene carbonate is a carbonate ester.

Flammability and Explosibility

Non flammable

Purification Methods

Dry 1,3-dioxolan-2-one over P2O5, then fractionally distil it at low or atmospheric pressure. Recrystallise it from dry Et2O (plates, m 36.5o, 38.5-40o was also reported). It is soluble in H2O. [Beilstein 19 II 135,19 III/IV 1556, 19/4 V 6.]