Abstract: A new catalyst system, SalenCoX/cinchona-derived quaternary ammonium salts, was developed to catalyze the cycloaddition of CO₂ to epoxides under extremely mild reaction conditions. Chiral propylene carbonate was obtained with good enantioselectivity in the presence of the catalyst. The anions of the catalysts and the cocatalysts evidently affect the activity and enantioselectivity of the reaction. The activity of (S,S)-catalysts in terms of anion is in the order 2-nitrophenoxy > 2,4,6-trinitrophenoxy > NO₃^- > OAc^- > CF₃CO₂^- ≈ Br^- > Cl^- > OTs^-. The cocatalyst with the Cl^- anion gives the highest ee value for propylene carbonate. In contrast, the cocatalyst with the Br^- anion has higher activity. When the catalyst (S,S)-(+)-1,2-cyclohexanediamino(N,N-bis(3,5-di-tert-butyl- salicylidene) cobalt(III) acetate ((S,S)-A) was combined with the cocatalyst N,O-dibenzylquininium chloride (1a) , it gives the highest 73% ee for propylene carbonate.

Key words: carbon dioxide, epoxide, cyclic carbonate, cobalt complex, cinchona-derived quaternary ammonium salt