Ethylene carbonate

Chemical properties

colourless crystals

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.

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.

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.]