Carbon dioxide fixation into cyclic carbonates at room temperature catalyzed by heteroscorpionate aluminum complexes

Abstract

Novel mono- and bimetallic scorpionate aluminum compounds have been designed and characterized by spectroscopic methods. These organometallics complexes, in combination with tetrabutylammonium bromide as cocatalyst, displayed good catalytic activity for the cycloaddition of styrene oxide and CO2 under ambient conditions. Among the compounds tested, monometallic complex 3 featuring diethylamino groups showed the highest catalytic activity. This catalytic system catalyzed the formation of cyclic carbonate products from their corresponding epoxides at room temperature and 1 bar of CO2 pressure in the absence of a solvent in good yields and excellent selectivities.

Keywords

• CO2
• Epoxides
• Cyclic carbonates
• Aluminum complexes