Diethyl carbonate


Diethyl carbonate is an ester of carbonic acid and ethanol with the formula OC2. At room temperature diethyl carbonate is a clear liquid with a low flash point.
Diethyl carbonate is used as a solvent such as in erythromycin intramuscular injections. It can be used as a component of electrolytes in lithium batteries. It has been proposed as a fuel additive to support cleaner diesel fuel combustion because its high boiling point might reduce blended fuels' volatility, minimize vapor buildup in warm weather that can block fuel lines.

Production

It can be made by reacting phosgene with ethanol, producing hydrogen chloride as a byproduct. Because chloroform can react with oxygen to form phosgene, chloroform can be stabilized for storage by adding 1 part of ethanol to 100 parts of chloroform, so that any phosgene that forms is converted into diethyl carbonate.