sections of the apparatus application_number US 74080003 A description referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views one embodiment is a method comprising reacting an alkanol oxygen carbon monoxide and a catalyst to form a mixture comprising a dialkyl carbonate an alkyl chloroformate hydrochloric acid water carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide and removing alkyl chloroformate from said mixture there is no particular limitation on the alkanol used in the method suitable alkanols include primary secondary and tertiary c 1 c 12 alkanols with primary c 1 c 6 alkanols being preferred highly preferred alkanols include methanol oxygen may be provided in any form with gaseous forms being preferred suitable oxygen sources include for example air and oxygen containing gases having at least about 95 weight percent molecular oxygen preferably at least about 99 weight percent molecular oxygen suitable oxygen containing gases are commercially available from for example air products carbon monoxide is preferably supplied as a gas having at least about 90 weight percent preferably at least about 95 weight percent more preferably at least about 99 weight percent carbon monoxide suitable carbon monoxide containing gases are commercially available from for example air products suitable catalyst include those comprising iron copper nickel cobalt zinc ruthenium rhodium palladium silver cadmium rhenium osmium iridium platinum gold mercury and the like and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing metals preferred catalysts may comprise copper a highly preferred catalyst comprises copper and chloride ion in a molar ratio of about 0 5 to about 1 5 within this range a molar ratio of at least about 0 8 may be preferred also within this range a molar ratio of up to about 1.