Abstract: The invention is directed to a process to continuously prepare a cyclic carbonate product by reacting an epoxide compound with carbon dioxide in the presence of a supported dimeric aluminium salen complex. The process is performed in a reactor comprising a slurry of the supported dimeric aluminium salen complex and liquid cyclic carbonate product. The produced cyclic carbonate is discharged from the reactor while the supported dimeric aluminium salen complex remains in the reactor. The liquid carbonate product is purified by means of distillation. Between the reactor and the distillation one or more buffer vessels are present having a volume of between 5 and 50 m3 per kmol of dimeric aluminium salen complex as present in the reactor.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a process to continuously prepare a cyclic carbonate product by reacting an epoxide compound with carbon dioxide in the presence of a supported dimeric aluminium salen complex. The process is performed in a reactor comprising a slurry of the supported dimeric aluminium salen complex and liquid cyclic carbonate product. The produced cyclic carbonate is discharged from the reactor while the supported dimeric aluminium salen complex remains in the reactor. The liquid carbonate product is purified by means of distillation. Between the reactor and the distillation one or more buffer vessels are present having a volume of between 5 and 50 m3 per kmol of dimeric aluminium salen complex as present in the reactor.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a process to continuously prepare a cyclic carbonate product by reacting an epoxide with carbon dioxide in the presence of a heterogeneous catalyst activated by an activating compound. The process is performed in a first, second, third reactor, each reactor comprising a slurry of the heterogeneous catalyst and the cyclic carbonate product as present as a liquid. To the first reactor carbon dioxide and the epoxide compound is continuously supplied, liquid cyclic carbonate is discharged and unreacted carbon dioxide and epoxide is discharged as a first gaseous effluent stream to the second reactor while substantially all of the heterogeneous catalyst remains in the first reactor. To the third reactor the activating compound is added. In a next step of the process the third reactor becomes the second reactor, the second reactor becomes the first reactor and the first reactor becomes the third reactor.

Abstract: Process to continuously prepare a cyclic carbonate product by reacting an epoxide compound with carbon dioxide in the presence of a supported dimeric aluminium salen complex which complex is activated by a halide compound comprising the following steps, (a) contacting carbon dioxide with the epoxide compound in a suspension of liquid cyclic carbonate and the supported dimeric aluminium salen complex which complex is activated by a halide compound, (b) separating part of the cyclic carbonate product from the supported dimeric aluminium salen complex, (c) separating the halide compound from the cyclic carbonate product to obtain purified cyclic carbonate product, (d) use all or part of the halide compound as obtained in step (c) to activate deactivated supported dimeric salen complex.

Abstract: Process to continuously prepare a cyclic carbonate product by reacting an epoxide compound with carbon dioxide in the presence of a supported dimeric aluminium salen complex which complex is activated by a halide compound comprising the following steps, (a) contacting carbon dioxide with the epoxide compound in a suspension of liquid cyclic carbonate and the supported dimeric aluminium salen complex which complex is activated by a halide compound, (b) separating part of the cyclic carbonate product from the supported dimeric aluminium salen complex, (c) separating the halide compound from the cyclic carbonate product to obtain purified cyclic carbonate product, (d) use all or part of the halide compound as obtained in step (c) to activate deactivated supported dimeric salen complex.