Efficient Catalytic System Involving Molybdenyl Acetylacetonate and Immobilized Tributylammonium Chloride for the Direct Synthesis of Cyclic Carbonates from Carbon Dioxide and Olefins

Abstract

Abstract: An effective direct method for preparing of cyclic carbonates from CO2 and olefins in the presence of tert-butyl hydroperoxide as an oxidant was provided. The first stage, the epoxidation of olefins, was carried out using MoO2(acac)2 as a catalyst (1h, 100 °C), and the second stage, the cycloaddition of CO2 to the resulting epoxide, was proceeded in the presence of immobilized tributylmethylammonium chloride on a polystyrene cross-linked with divinylbenzene, and an aqueous solution of ZnBr2 (100 °C, 0.9 MPa of CO2, 4 h). The proposed method allowed to obtain cyclic carbonates with high yields (50–77%) under mild conditions. Moreover, the immobilized catalyst could be reused at least five times without significant loss of its catalytic activity.