Dimethyl Carbonate

Product Name	Dimethyl Carbonate (DMC) Linear Organic Carbonate / Battery Electrolyte Solvent / Industrial Solvent
CAS NO.	616-38-6
Molecular Formula & Weight	C3H6O3 (MW: 90.08)
Chemical Structure
Standard	GB/T 33107-2016 — Dimethyl Carbonate for Industrial Use
Product Positioning	Battery Electrolyte Solvent / High-Purity Carbonate / Industrial Solvent / Synthesis Reagent Royalchem supports industrial, superior and electronic-grade DMC sourcing for lithium-ion battery, electronic chemical, solvent and synthesis applications.

DMC Grade Comparison

Test Item	First Grade	Superior Grade	Electronic Grade
DMC Assay	≥99.5%	≥99.9%	≥99.99%
Methanol	≤0.050%	≤0.020%	≤0.002%
Water	≤0.10%	≤0.020%	≤0.003%
Density	1.071 ± 0.005 g/cm³

The above values reflect Royalchem's currently published grade structure. GB/T 33107-2016 remains an active Chinese national standard. Final commercial specifications, analytical methods and batch results should follow the mutually confirmed specification and actual batch COA.

Dimethyl Carbonate for Lithium-Ion Battery Electrolytes

DMC is alow-viscosity linear carbonate solventcommonly used in lithium-ion battery electrolyte formulations. It is typically blended with other carbonate solvents such as EC, EMC or DEC to balance electrolyte viscosity, conductivity, wetting and electrochemical performance.

What Matters When Buying Electronic or Battery Grade DMC?

DMC Assay	High main-component purity is important, but assay alone is not sufficient for battery-electrolyte qualification.
Water	Trace moisture is a key purchasing parameter for lithium-ion electrolyte applications and should be matched to the customer's target specification.
Methanol	Residual methanol is progressively restricted in higher-purity DMC grades.
Metal Ions	Electronic and battery customers may specify limits for sodium, potassium, iron, copper, nickel and other trace metals.
Customer-Specific Impurities	Battery manufacturers and electrolyte formulators may apply internal limits beyond general industrial specifications. A target COA is recommended for grade matching.

Industrial Solvent Applications

Dimethyl Carbonate is used as an organic solvent in selected coatings, adhesives, cleaning and other industrial formulations. In the United States, DMC is excluded from the federal EPA definition of VOC because of its low photochemical reactivity. This U.S. regulatory exemption should not be interpreted as meaning that DMC is non-flammable, non-hazardous or automatically VOC-exempt in every jurisdiction.

Methylation, Carbonylation & Organic Synthesis

DMC can participate inmethylation, carbonylation and carbonate-transfer chemistryunder appropriate reaction and catalytic conditions. This makes DMC relevant not only to solvent users but also to fine-chemical manufacturers and process-development teams looking for carbonate-based synthetic routes.

Dimethyl Carbonate in the Polycarbonate Value Chain

In non-phosgene polycarbonate chemistry, Dimethyl Carbonate can be reacted with phenol through transesterification routes to produceDiphenyl Carbonate (DPC). DPC is an important carbonate raw material used in melt-polycarbonate production. For these applications, DMC grade selection may depend on process purity and downstream color or catalyst requirements.

Related Carbonate Electrolyte Solvents

Abbreviation	Chemical Name	Typical Role
DMC	Dimethyl Carbonate	Low-viscosity linear carbonate
DEC	Diethyl Carbonate	Linear carbonate electrolyte solvent
EMC	Ethyl Methyl Carbonate	Linear carbonate electrolyte solvent
EC	Ethylene Carbonate	High-dielectric cyclic carbonate
PC	Propylene Carbonate	Cyclic carbonate solvent
VC / FEC	Vinylene Carbonate / Fluoroethylene Carbonate	Common electrolyte additive / functional carbonate families

Reference Physical Properties

Appearance	Colorless to almost colorless clear liquid
Melting Point	Approx. 3°C
Boiling Point	Approx. 90°C
Flash Point	Approx. 14°C
Specific Gravity	Approx. 1.07
Refractive Index	Approx. 1.37

Reference physical properties are provided for identification and process evaluation and are not fixed Royalchem batch-release specifications.

What Should Buyers Specify When Purchasing DMC?

Target Grade	First / Superior / Electronic / Customer-Specific Grade
Critical Specifications	DMC assay, water, methanol, metals and other specified trace impurities
Application	Battery electrolyte / Electronic chemical / Industrial solvent / Synthesis / Polycarbonate-related process / Other
Commercial Quantity	Trial quantity, order quantity and estimated annual consumption
Logistics	Destination country, destination port/address and target delivery schedule

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Dimethyl Carbonate?	Dimethyl Carbonate, commonly abbreviated DMC, is a linear organic carbonate with CAS 616-38-6. It is used as a battery electrolyte solvent, industrial solvent and organic synthesis reagent.
Is DMC used in lithium-ion battery electrolytes?	Yes. DMC is a common low-viscosity linear carbonate co-solvent used with other carbonate solvents in lithium-ion battery electrolyte formulations.
Does DMC have a high dielectric constant?	No. DMC has a relatively low dielectric constant compared with cyclic carbonates such as EC. Its low viscosity is one reason it is useful in mixed carbonate electrolyte systems.
What is Electronic Grade DMC?	Electronic Grade DMC is a high-purity grade with tighter controls on DMC assay, water, methanol and other trace impurities. Actual commercial acceptance criteria should be matched to the buyer's target specification.
Is Battery Grade DMC the same as Electronic Grade DMC?	Not necessarily. Battery Grade is a commercial purchasing term and individual electrolyte manufacturers may apply customer-specific limits beyond a general electronic-grade specification.
Why is water important in battery-grade DMC?	Lithium-ion electrolyte applications are sensitive to trace moisture. Buyers therefore commonly evaluate water together with assay, methanol, metals and other trace impurities.
Is DMC VOC exempt?	Dimethyl Carbonate is excluded from the U.S. EPA federal VOC definition because of its low photochemical reactivity. Regulatory treatment in other countries should be checked separately.
How is DMC related to polycarbonate production?	DMC can be reacted with phenol through transesterification routes to produce Diphenyl Carbonate (DPC), which is used in non-phosgene melt-polycarbonate production.
What information should I provide for a DMC quotation?	Please provide the target grade, DMC assay, water, methanol, metal-ion or other impurity requirements, final application, required quantity, estimated annual demand, destination country and delivery schedule.