Phosphonium-Based Porous Ionic Polymer with Hydroxyl Groups: A Bifunctional and Robust Catalyst for Cycloaddition of CO2 into Cyclic Carbonates
Yizhu Lei, Yali Wan, Wei Zhong, Dingfu Liu, Zhou Yang
Abstract
The integration of synergic hydrogen bond donors and nucleophilic anions that facilitates the ring-opening of epoxide is an effective way to develop an active catalyst for the cycloaddition of CO2 with epoxides. In this work, a new heterogeneous catalyst for the cycloaddition of epoxides and CO2 into cyclic carbonates based on dual hydroxyls-functionalized polymeric phosphonium bromide (PQPBr-2OH) was presented. Physicochemical characterizations suggested that PQPBr-2OH possessed large surface area, hierarchical pore structure, functional hydroxyl groups, and high density of active sites. Consequently, it behaved as an efficient, recyclable, and metal-free catalyst for the additive and solvent free cycloaddition of epoxides with CO2. Comparing the activity of PQPBr-2OH with that of the reference catalysts based on mono and non-hydroxyl functionalized polymeric phosphonium bromides suggested that hydroxyl functionalities in PQPBr-2OH showed a critical promotion effect on its catalytic activity for CO2 conversion. Moreover, PQPBr-2OH proved to be quite robust and recyclable. It could be reused at least ten times with only a slight decrease of its initial activity.