Syntheses, Characterization, and Application of Tridentate Phenoxyimino-Phenoxy Aluminum Complexes for the Coupling of Terminal Epoxide with CO2: From Binary System to Single Component Catalyst

A series of binuclear aluminum complexes 1–3 supported by tridentate phenoxyimino-phenoxy ligands was synthesized and used as catalysts for the coupling reaction terminal epoxide with carbon dioxide. The complex 1, which is catalytically inactive toward CO2 itself, shows moderate activity in presence excess nucleophiles or organic bases at high temperature. In sharp contrast to bifunctional 2 3, incorporate tertiary amine groups built-in nucleophile, are able efficiently transform corresponding cyclic carbonates a sole product themselves 100 °C. number on ligand skeleton temperature exert great influence catalytic activity. 3 also active low dioxide pressure such atm atmospheric pressure. Kinetic studies reactions chloropropylene oxide/CO2 styrene using under demonstrate that has first-order dependence concentration epoxide.