4.3. Reaction Mechanism 2373 4.4. Asymmetric Synthesis 2374 4.5. Outlook 2374 5. Alternating Polymerization of Oxiranes and CO2 2374 5.1. Reaction Outlines 2374 5.2. Catalyst 2376 5.3. Asymmetric Polymerization 2377 5.4. Immobilized Catalysts 2377 6. Synthesis of Urea and Urethane Derivatives 2378 7. Synthesis of Carboxylic Acid 2379 8. Synthesis of Esters and Lactones 2380 9. Synthesis of Isocyanates 2382 10. Hydrogenation and Hydroformylation, and Alcohol Homologation 2382

Transformation of carbon dioxide.

Making plastics from carbon dioxide: salen metal complexes as catalysts for the production of polycarbonates from epoxides and CO2.

A plethora of methods have been developed over the years so that carbon dioxide can be used as a reactant in organic synthesis. Given the abundance of this compound, its utilization in synthetic chemistry, particularly on an industrial scale, is still at a rather low level. In the last 35 years, considerable research has been performed to find catalytic routes to transform CO(2) into carboxylic acids, esters, lactones, and polymers in an economic way. This Review presents an overview of the available homogeneous catalytic routes that use carbon dioxide as a C(1) carbon source for the synthesis of industrial products as well as fine chemicals.

Transformation of Carbon Dioxide with Homogeneous Transition-Metal Catalysts: A Molecular Solution to a Global Challenge?

https://eprints.ncl.ac.uk/file_store/production/162122/B5324BA5-F503-4BE9-947E-6F7ED01AAD04.pdf

Synthesis of cyclic carbonates from epoxides and CO2

The synthesis of organic carbonates from carbon dioxide.

Chemical fixation of carbon dioxide to cyclic carbonates proceeds effectively under extremely mild temperature and pressure by using a bifunctional nucleophile–electrophile catalyst system of tetradentate Schiff-base aluminum complexes ((Salen)AlX) in conjunction with a quaternary ammonium salt (n-Bu4NY) in the absence of any organic solvent. Electrophilicity of central Al3+ ion and the steric factor of substituent groups on the aromatic rings of (Salen)AlX (electrophile), and nucleophilicity and leaving ability of the anion Y− of n-Bu4NY (nucleophile) have a great effect on the catalytic activity of the bifunctional catalyst.

Chemical fixation of carbon dioxide to cyclic carbonates under extremely mild conditions with highly active bifunctional catalysts

The high-activity catalyst for synthesizing cyclic carbonate in mild condition includes main catalyst quadridentate Schiff base metal complex (R1)(R2) SalenMX, where M is metal ion; R1 and R2 is H, Cl-C6 alkyl, alkoxy, C1, Br, NO2 and other group; and X is negative ion; and cocatalyst being inorganic salt and polyether complex M1Yn, where M1 is metal ion or MH4+; Y is Cl, Br, I, OR, NO3, CH3COO, ClO4, BF4 and other one valent negative ion; and n is 1 or 2 with the molar ratio between the cocatalyst and the main catalyst quadridentate Schiff base metal complex being 0.2-5. The two-component catalyst can catalyze the reaction of epoxy compound with CO2 to synthesize cyclic carbonate at mild condition without forming polycarbonate and other side product. The catalyst may be used repeatedly and maintain catalytic activity for long time.

Bin Liang

Papers

Chemical fixation of carbon dioxide to cyclic carbonates under extremely mild conditions with highly active bifunctional catalysts

High-activity catalyst for synthesizing cyclic carbonate in mild condition

Chemical Fixation of CO2 to Cyclic Carbonates under Mild Conditions with a Novel Binary Catalyst

High-activity catalyst for synthesizing cyclic carbonic acid ester in mild condition