PRODUCTION OF PROPYLENE CARBONATE FROM CO2 USING BIFUNCTIONAL HALOMETALLATE CATALYSTS [Bu4N]n[MCl4]

This study investigates the efficiency of bifunctional catalysts [Bu4N]n[MCl4] (where M = Mn2+, Fe3+, Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, Zn2+) in the reaction between CO2 and propylene oxide for the synthesis of the respective cyclic carbonate. Among the tested catalysts, [Bu4N]2[CoCl4] was the most effective, achieving up to 77% conversion with 100% selectivity for propylene carbonate. The results indicate that the choice of the metal ion is crucial for catalytic performance. Moreover, the simplicity of synthesis and low cost of these catalysts make them viable for industrial applications. The next step involves optimizing the reaction conditions and evaluating the catalysts' efficiency with different substrates.