Chinese Journal of Catalysis

Chinese Journal of Catalysis ›› 2010, Vol. 31 ›› Issue (7): 765-768.

• Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Hydrated Alkali Metal Halides as Efficient Catalysts for the Synthesis of Cyclic Carbonates from CO2 and Epoxides

ZHOU Xi1,2, ZHANG Yi1,2, YANG Xiangui1, YAO Jie1, WANG Gongying1,*   

  1. 1Chengdu Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China 2Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
  • Received:2010-07-25 Online:2010-07-25 Published:2010-07-25

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Abstract: The synthesis of propylene carbonate from carbon dioxide and propylene oxide using hydrated alkali metal halides as catalysts in the absence of a co-catalyst and a solvent was investigated. The hydrated alkali metal halides showed much higher catalytic activity than the anhydrous alkali metal halides. Sodium iodide dihydrate was found to be the most efficient among them and it gave a 97% yield of propylene carbonate at 120 ?C under 1 MPa within 1.5 h. The corresponding cyclic carbonates from CO2 and other epoxides using sodium iodide dihydrate as catalyst were also successfully synthesized.

Key words: carbon dioxide, propylene oxide, propylene carbonate, cyclic carbonate, hydrated alkali metal halide