Efficient synthesis of glycerol carbonate from glycerol and urea with lanthanum oxide as a solid base catalyst

Lanthanum oxide catalyst prepared by precipitation method and calcined at 600 degrees C exhibited better catalytic activity in the catalytic synthesis of glycerol carbonate from glycerol and urea with TOF up to 1506 mmol/g.h. It was proposed that the lanthanum oxide catalyst with more strong basic sites (T(d)>400 degrees C) exhibited higher catalytic activity. Accordingly, the catalyst containing appropriate amount of La(2)O(2)CO(3) phase exhibited higher catalytic activity. Moreover, the recycling experiments demonstrated that the catalytic activity can be essentially preserved during the recycling tests investigated. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.