Research progress of catalysts for synthesis of glycerol carbonate form glycerol and urea

Transformation of urea and glycerol to glycerol carbonate is an environmental friendly and economical process. Catalysts play an indispensable role in the process. Although many catalysts have been developed, the performance of the catalysts still cannot meet the needs of industrialization. In this paper, research progress of the homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts of the reaction over the past 20 years were reviewed systematically. According to the types and active centers of catalysts, the catalysts were classified systematically and analyzed in detail. The typical reaction mechanisms were also summarized. The research and development direction of catalysts is made more explicit through systematic classification and mechanism analysis. The article reveals more novel catalysts have been designed and used for the reaction, such as mixed metal oxides with special structures, solid wastes and non-metallic materials. This work summarized the current state of research and prospected possible routes for design of novel catalysts. It is hoped that this review can provide some references for developing efficient catalysts.