The chemical formula of dimethyl carbonate is CH3OCO2CH3, which is formed by the reaction of methanol and carbon dioxide. Methyl ethyl carbonate, on the other hand, has the chemical formula CH3OCO2C2H5 and is made by reacting methanol and ethanol. The difference between the two is that they use different alcohols, one is methanol and the other is ethanol. This leads to the difference in their chemical properties. Dimethyl carbonate is used industrially as a solvent and a synthetic raw material that can be used in the manufacture of chemicals such as plastics, drugs and dyes. While methyl ethyl carbonate is also widely used in the chemical industry as a raw material for plastics, paints and solvents.