- ▸ Used as a low-toxicity, biodegradable green solvent and a drop-in replacement for ketones and acetate esters in coatings, paints, and adhesives formulations.
- ▸ Serves as a high-purity electrolyte co-solvent in lithium-ion battery manufacturing, often blended with cyclic carbonates to tune conductivity and voltage stability.
- ▸ Acts as a methylating and carbonylation reagent in organic synthesis, replacing toxic dimethyl sulfate and phosgene to build carbamates, isocyanates, and polycarbonate intermediates.
- ▸ Functions as an oxygenate and octane booster in gasoline blending and as a cleaning/degreasing solvent in industrial parts washing.
- ▸ Employed as a reactive intermediate in the production of polycarbonate resins and other specialty esters and carbonates.
A grade-specific Safety Data Sheet (SDS) — with the complete hazard classification, handling precautions, and transport information — is supplied with every shipment and available on request. Confirm all safety and regulatory details against the SDS for your specific grade.
Request SDS →Dimethyl Carbonate (DMC, CAS 616-38-6) is a clear, low-viscosity, low-toxicity aprotic solvent and a versatile methylating and carbonylating reagent. It is a key electrolyte solvent for lithium-ion batteries and a lower-VOC replacement for ketone and ester solvents in coatings and cleaning. The molecule pairs genuinely useful solvency with a benign reactivity profile, which is why two very different industries — energy storage and industrial coatings — both pull on the same chemical. Battery makers want it ultra-dry and metal-free; coatings formulators want its U.S. EPA VOC-exempt status. RawSource supplies both ends of that spectrum in bulk.
Key Properties
| Property | Typical Value |
|---|---|
| CAS Number | 616-38-6 |
| Molecular Formula | C₃H₆O₃ |
| Molecular Weight | 90.08 g/mol |
| Appearance | Clear, colorless liquid |
| Boiling Point | ~90 °C |
| Density (20 °C) | ~1.07 g/cm³ |
| Flash Point | ~17–18 °C (flammable) |
| Water Solubility | Limited (slightly soluble); miscible with most organic solvents |
| Biodegradability | Reported readily biodegradable |
Applications by Sector
Lithium-Ion Battery Electrolytes
This is the demand engine. Battery-grade DMC is a co-solvent in lithium-ion electrolytes, where it lowers viscosity and improves low-temperature conductivity. It is rarely used neat — formulators blend it with ethylene carbonate (EC), ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC), and diethyl carbonate (DEC) to balance the SEI-forming, dielectric, and transport roles. The hard requirement is purity: cycle life collapses if moisture or trace metals get in, so battery-grade material runs at very low water (single-digit to low-tens of ppm) and controlled metals. If you are sourcing for cell production, specify battery grade and ask for the full moisture-and-metals panel on the CoA, not just an assay number.
Lower-VOC Solvent for Coatings, Adhesives & Cleaning
DMC is exempt from VOC limits under U.S. EPA rules, letting coatings, paint, and adhesive formulators cut regulated-VOC content without dropping solvency. It dissolves a broad range of resins, replaces ketones (MEK, acetone) and esters in many systems, and is used in precision and electronics cleaning. The honest trade-off: VOC-exempt is a regulatory classification, not a hazard rating. DMC is still flammable and is not a drop-in for every formula — re-test viscosity, flash, and substrate compatibility before swapping it for an incumbent ketone.
Methylating & Carbonylating Reagent
In synthesis, DMC transfers methyl or carbonyl groups and is widely adopted as a lower-hazard alternative to dimethyl sulfate, methyl halides, and phosgene routes. It produces methanol and CO₂ rather than the corrosive or acutely toxic salts those classic reagents leave behind, which simplifies waste streams. The practical limit is reactivity: DMC is milder, so reactions often need a catalyst or elevated temperature to run at a useful rate. Where that is acceptable, it materially lowers the process hazard profile.
Polycarbonate & Specialty Synthesis
DMC feeds non-phosgene polycarbonate production and is a building block for higher carbonates and isocyanate-route intermediates. It serves as a reactive intermediate where a carbonate linkage or a methoxycarbonyl group is needed in the target molecule. For these uses, consistency lot-to-lot matters as much as headline purity — confirm the impurity profile, not just assay.
Pharma & Agro Intermediates
DMC serves as a solvent and as a methylating/carbonylating reagent in pharmaceutical and agrochemical intermediate synthesis, valued where a low-toxicity solvent simplifies downstream purification and exposure controls. Note that RawSource supplies DMC for industrial and professional use; any pharmaceutical-grade qualification, GMP status, or regulatory compliance is the buyer’s responsibility to confirm.
Grades: Battery vs. Industrial
The grade you need is set almost entirely by water and metals tolerance, not by the headline assay. Battery-grade DMC is purified and packaged to hold ultra-low moisture and low trace metals because lithium-ion electrolytes are unforgiving of both; industrial/technical grade is the workhorse for solvent, cleaning, and general synthesis duty where ppm-level moisture is not critical. Buy to the spec your process actually needs — battery grade carries a real cost premium, and over-specifying it for a coatings line wastes margin.
| Grade | Typical Purity | Water | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery grade | Ultra-high (≥99.9%) | Very low (single-digit to ~20 ppm) | Li-ion electrolyte blends; low-metals critical |
| Industrial / technical grade | High | Standard (process-dependent) | Solvent, cleaning, coatings, general synthesis |
Handling & Safety
DMC is flammable — its flash point near 17–18 °C means it can form ignitable vapor at or near room temperature, so treat it like other flammable solvents: keep away from ignition sources, ground and bond during transfer, use adequate ventilation, and store in a cool, well-ventilated area away from oxidizers. Its lower-toxicity profile reduces some exposure concerns relative to legacy methylating reagents, but it does not remove the fire hazard. Always consult the current Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for your material before handling, storage, transport, or disposal, and verify the hazard, transport, and tariff classifications for your specific shipment.
Bulk Supply & RFQ
RawSource supplies dimethyl carbonate in bulk across both battery and industrial grades, sourced to your specification. Because the right grade is driven by your moisture and metals tolerance, the fastest quote comes from telling us the use case up front. Send your grade, target purity and spec (especially water/metals limits), volume, packaging, and delivery location, and we will return pricing and a Certificate of Analysis (CoA) against that spec. Submit an RFQ to start sourcing.
Regulatory & registration requirements
- TSCA (US):
- REACH (EU):
- EC number: 210-478-4
Source: EPA TSCA Inventory (July 2025 release) · ECHA CHEM — retrieved 2026-07-12
Frequently Asked Questions
What is dimethyl carbonate (DMC)?
Dimethyl carbonate (DMC, CAS 616-38-6) is a clear, low-viscosity, low-toxicity aprotic organic solvent and a versatile methylating and carbonylating reagent, with the molecular formula C₃H₆O₃ and a molecular weight of about 90.08 g/mol. It is best known as an electrolyte co-solvent for lithium-ion batteries and as a lower-VOC industrial solvent.
What is dimethyl carbonate used for?
Its largest uses are lithium-ion battery electrolytes (blended with EC, EMC, and DEC), lower-VOC solvent duty in coatings, paints, adhesives and cleaning, and as a safer methylating/carbonylating reagent in chemical synthesis. It also feeds non-phosgene polycarbonate production and pharma/agro intermediate manufacturing.
Is DMC a good solvent?
For many systems, yes. It has low viscosity, dissolves a wide range of resins, is miscible with most organic solvents, and holds U.S. EPA VOC-exempt status, which makes it attractive where regulated-VOC content matters. Its water solubility is limited, so it is not a substitute everywhere a fully water-miscible solvent is required — test compatibility for your formula.
What is the difference between battery-grade and industrial-grade DMC?
Battery grade is purified and packaged to ultra-high purity with very low water (often single-digit to ~20 ppm) and low trace metals, because lithium-ion electrolytes are sensitive to both. Industrial/technical grade is high purity suited to solvent, cleaning, coatings, and general synthesis where ppm-level moisture is not critical. Specify battery grade only when your process genuinely needs it — it carries a cost premium.
Is dimethyl carbonate safe and is it green?
DMC has a lower-toxicity profile than many legacy methylating reagents and is reported to be readily biodegradable and VOC-exempt under U.S. EPA rules — all specific, qualified attributes rather than a blanket “non-toxic” or “green” claim. Importantly, it is flammable, with a flash point near 17–18 °C, so it requires standard flammable-solvent precautions. Always consult the current SDS and confirm suitability for your application.
How does DMC compare to other carbonates like EC, EMC, and DEC?
In battery electrolytes, each carbonate plays a role: ethylene carbonate (EC) is a high-dielectric, SEI-forming cyclic carbonate that is solid at room temperature, while DMC, ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC), and diethyl carbonate (DEC) are low-viscosity linear carbonates that improve conductivity and low-temperature behavior. DMC is the lowest-boiling and lowest-viscosity of the common linear carbonates, which is why it is so often part of the blend rather than used alone.
Can RawSource supply DMC in bulk?
Yes. RawSource sources dimethyl carbonate in bulk in both battery and industrial grades. Submit an RFQ with your grade, purity spec (including water/metals limits), volume, packaging, and delivery location, and we will return pricing and a CoA against that spec.
Disclaimer. Information on this page — including chemical properties, identifiers, hazard, transport (DOT/UN) and tariff (HS) classifications, and applications — is provided for general reference and is compiled from authoritative public sources (e.g. PubChem/ECHA, 49 CFR 172.101, the Harmonized Tariff Schedule). Values are typical and are not a guaranteed specification; the Certificate of Analysis (CoA) for the lot you purchase governs. Products are sold for industrial and professional use only. Nothing here is a medical, health, or efficacy claim, or advice. Always consult the current Safety Data Sheet (SDS) before handling, storage, transport or disposal, and confirm regulatory status, classification and suitability for your application and jurisdiction. Hazard, transport and tariff classifications must be verified for your specific shipment. RawSource makes no warranty, express or implied, and assumes no liability for use of this information.