Environmental-Friendly Synthesis of Alkyl Carbamates from Urea and Alcohols with Silica Gel Supported Catalysts

Abstract

TiO2/SiO2, Cr2O3-NiO/SiO2, and TiO2-Cr2O3/SiO2 were prepared by the impregnation method for alkyl carbamate synthesis using urea as the carbonyl source. Up to 97.5% methyl carbamate yield, 97% ethyl carbamate yield, and 96% butyl carbamate yield could be achieved, respectively. The catalysts were characterized by ICP-AES, BET, XRD, XPS, NH3-TPD, and EPMA. Catalytic activity investigation revealed that TiO2/SiO2, Cr2O3-NiO/SiO2, and TiO2-Cr2O3/SiO2 were effective catalysts for methyl carbamate (MC), ethyl carbamate (EC), and butyl carbamate (BC), respectively. The recycling tests suggested that these silica gel supported catalyst system is active, stable, and reusable. A total of 96–97% alkyl carbamate (methyl, ethyl, and butyl) could be obtained in a 2 L autoclave, and these data suggested that our catalyst system is relatively easy to scale up.