Catalysis of carbon dioxide and oxetanes to produce aliphatic polycarbonates

Green Chemistry Pub Date: 2020-10-28 DOI: 10.1039/D0GC03219K

Abstract

Although the coupling of CO2 and a variety of epoxides is a well-developed area of study which has been extensively reviewed in the open literature, analogous processes involving CO2 and oxetanes are much less investigated. In this review, we will summarize the reports which utilize a broad range of metal and metal-free catalysts for the coupling of CO2 and oxetanes to afford copolymers, either directly or via the ring-opening polymerization of preformed six-membered cyclic carbonates. Comparative mechanistic aspects of these two CO2/cyclic ethers coupling processes are presented along with the related processes involving sulfur analogs of carbon dioxide.

Graphical abstract: Catalysis of carbon dioxide and oxetanes to produce aliphatic polycarbonates
Recommended Literature