▁ ▁prom ising ▁approach ▁to ▁the ▁important ▁C 2 - basic ▁chemical ▁eth yl ene ▁g ly col . ▁Dim eth yl ▁ox al ate ▁can ▁be ▁converted ▁into ▁eth yl ene ▁g ly col ▁in ▁high ▁yields ▁( 9 4 . 7 %) ▁by ▁hydro gen ation ▁at ▁a ▁co pper - cont aining ▁catal yst s : ▁ ▁The ▁m eth an ol ▁formed ▁is ▁rec yc led ▁in ▁the ▁process ▁of ▁ox id ative ▁car b ony lation ; ▁therefore ▁the ▁only ▁raw ▁materials ▁consum ed ▁in ▁the ▁overall ▁process ▁are ▁carbon ▁mon ox ide , ▁hydro gen ▁and ▁o xygen . ▁One ▁plant ▁following ▁that ▁coal - to - ME G ▁process ▁with ▁a ▁production ▁capacity ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁tons ▁eth yl ene ▁g ly col ▁per ▁year ▁is ▁already ▁oper ational ▁in ▁Inner ▁Mong olia , ▁a ▁second ▁plant ▁with ▁a ▁capacity ▁of ▁ 2 5 0 , 0 0 0 ▁with ▁tons / year ▁was ▁scheduled ▁for ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁in ▁Hen an . ▁Other ▁plants ▁with ▁a ▁total ▁annual ▁capacity ▁of ▁more ▁than ▁ 1 ▁million ▁tons ▁of ▁eth yl ene ▁g ly col ▁per ▁year ▁are ▁planned . ▁ ▁Furthermore , ▁dim eth yl ▁carbon ate ▁is ▁accessible ▁by ▁dec ar b ony lation ▁from ▁dim eth yl ▁ox al ate ▁at ▁temper atures ▁around ▁ 1 0 0   ° C ▁in ▁the ▁presence ▁of ▁alk ali ▁metal ▁alco hol ates , ▁which ▁is ▁discussed ▁as