Nano-sized polydopamine-based biomimetic catalyst for the efficient synthesis of cyclic carbonates

Polydopamine (PDA) is a biocompatible and biomimetic material. Herein, nano-sized PDA sphere was prepared and the combination of alkali metal halide and PDA was investigated as a catalyst for the synthesis of cyclic carbonates from epoxide and carbon dioxide. It was found that the activity of PDA could be obviously enhanced in the presence of alkali metal salts. After reaction, the catalyst and the products could be separated easily, and the catalyst was reusable. The origin of the high catalytic efficiency and the reaction mechanism were also discussed.     

Heterogeneous catalysts for cyclic carbonate synthesis from carbon dioxide and epoxides

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非金属催化剂在催化环氧化物和CO2合成环状碳酸酯中的研究进展

随着科学技术的进步和工业化的发展,大量化石燃料被消耗,大气中二氧化碳浓度急剧增加,导致温室效应加剧,严重威胁到人类的生存和发展。基于可持续发展的思想,利用储量丰富且廉价的二氧化碳作为 C1资源替代有毒的气体(如一氧化碳和光气等)制备具有广泛应用的环状碳酸酯,不仅满足“绿色化学”的要求,而且符合“原子经济性”的原则。迄今为止,大量用于催化二氧化碳和环氧化物环加成反应合成环状碳酸酯的催化剂,包括均相催化剂(如金属卤化物、有机碱、离子液体和金属配合物),多相催化剂(如金属氧化物、负载型催化剂、有机聚合物、金属有机框架材料和碳材料等)被报道。其中金属催化剂占主导地位,大多表现出优异的催化活性。然而,目前可供开采的金属矿越来越少,大多数金属的回收再利用率较低,重金属污染日趋严重。因此,开发新型、廉价、绿色、高效、循环性和稳定性好的非金属催化剂具有重要意义。
　　本文主要介绍了近3年以来用于催化二氧化碳和环氧化物环加成反应合成环状碳酸酯的非金属催化剂,主要包括有机碱、离子液体、固载型催化剂、有机聚合物和碳材料等。概括了不同种类催化剂的设计思想及其催化反应机理,重点阐述了分子内以及分子间各种功能基团的协同作用对环加成反应的影响。通过比较发现,具有“C–N=C”结构的有机碱活性相对较高,氢键给体和亲核物质都能与有机碱协同作用提高其催化活性;传统离子液体的活性一般不理想,氢键给体如羟基和羧基的引入有利于促进环加成反应,且多阳离子和多氢键给体功能化的离子液体表现出更高的催化活性;负载型催化剂中,载体和活性组分之间的协同作用有利于加速环加成反应的进行,多种功能基团负载和以共价键方式多层固载能更好地提高催化剂稳定性和催化活性;利用非烯烃化合物制得的活性组分位于主链的多孔有机聚合物,催化活性和稳定性大多高于活性组分位于侧链的烯烃聚合物;碳材料催化剂中,引入不饱和的 N物种(如伯胺和吡啶氮),有利于 CO2的吸附和活化,能促进环加成反应。此外,利用密度泛函的方法,计算模拟催化反应过程,能更好地揭示反应机理,并为设计和制备高效的催化剂提供理论指导。
　　该领域目前面临的重要挑战是研发可以同时实现二氧化碳捕获和转化的新型、环保和高效非金属催化剂,终极目标是利用多孔催化材料在常温和常压下直接捕获工业废气中的二氧化碳,并利用捕获的二氧化碳实现环状碳酸酯的连续生产。基于协同催化的设计思想,利用多种基团功能化的策略合成高效吸附和活化二氧化碳以及开环活化环氧化物的非金属催化剂,有望实现上述目标。     

Synthesis of bifunctional cyclic carbonates from CO2 catalysed by choline-based systems

Easily prepared choline iodide is an active catalyst for the synthesis of cyclic carbonates through the coupling reaction of CO₂ and epoxides using low pressure (1 MPa), moderate temperature (85 ºC) and green solvents (ethanol and propan-2-ol). The effects of reaction temperature, pressure, reaction time and amount of catalyst used were also investigated. The results showed moderate to high yields and excellent selectivities of cyclic carbonates with vinyl or acrylate groups under mild reaction conditions. The heterogenization of choline over a Merrifield resin gives access to a supported catalyst with good recyclability and reactivity that can be extended to a variety of terminal epoxide substrates.     

Chemical fixation of carbon dioxide to cyclic carbonates under extremely mild conditions with highly active bifunctional catalysts

Chemical fixation of carbon dioxide to cyclic carbonates proceeds effectively under extremely mild temperature and pressure by using a bifunctional nucleophile–electrophile catalyst system of tetradentate Schiff-base aluminum complexes ((Salen)AlX) in conjunction with a quaternary ammonium salt (n-Bu₄NY) in the absence of any organic solvent. Electrophilicity of central Al³⁺ ion and the steric factor of substituent groups on the aromatic rings of (Salen)AlX (electrophile), and nucleophilicity and leaving ability of the anion Y⁻ of n-Bu₄NY (nucleophile) have a great effect on the catalytic activity of the bifunctional catalyst.     

超临界二氧化碳中组氨酸催化合成环状碳酸酯

研究了超临界二氧化碳中α-氨基酸催化二氧化碳与环氧化物环加成反应合成环状碳酸酯,发现组氨酸的催化活性最高.在二氧化碳压力为8MPa、反应温度130℃、反应时间48h、组氨酸加入量为0.8mol%的条件下,二氧化物可以顺利的与各种环氧化物反应,以高的选择性和产率生成相应的环状碳酸酯.     

Effective synthesis of cyclic carbonates from carbon dioxide and epoxides by phosphonium iodides as catalysts in alcoholic solvents

Phosphonium iodides effectively catalyzed the reaction of CO₂ and epoxides under mild conditions such as ordinary pressure and ambient temperature in 2-propanol, and the corresponding five-membered cyclic carbonates were obtained in high yields.     

Convenient synthesis of ethylene carbonates from carbon dioxide and 1,2-diols at atmospheric pressure of carbon dioxide

An efficient and convenient synthesis of ethylene carbonates was achieved by the reaction of carbon dioxide with 1,2-diols in the presence of 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU), followed by treatment with 1-bromobutane. This DBU-promoted transformation proceeded at an atmospheric pressure of carbon dioxide at 25 °C and gave ethylene carbonates in good yields.     

Sodium carbonate as carbon dioxide source for the synthesis of cyclic carbonates containing the trifluoromethyl group

Trifluoromethylated cyclic carbonates were prepared through the palladium-promoted reaction of tertiary trifluoromethylated propargylic alcohols and sodium carbonate.     

Salen-complex-mediated formation of cyclic carbonates by cycloaddition of CO2 to epoxides

Metal complexes of salen ligands are an important class of compounds, and they have been widely studied in the past. Among their successful catalytic applications, the synthesis of cyclic carbonates by the coupling reaction of epoxides with CO(2) has received increased attention; this is mostly due to the importance of using a greenhouse gas as a feedstock for the synthesis of useful molecules. Herein the most relevant past and present research surrounding this topic is presented.     

均相催化CO2/H2还原羰基化合成高值化学品研究进展

The efficient utilization of the greenhouse gas CO₂ as a C1 feedstock can effectively reduce its emission and create economic value. Hence, the efficient chemical conversion of CO₂ has been receiving intense attention. Due to the extremely low energy level of the CO₂ molecule, the high energy barrier is the primary challenge for the chemical conversion of CO₂. The chemical conversion of CO₂ is mainly carried out through non-reductive transformation in industrial. Yet, the new route of chemical synthesis based on CO₂ reductive transformation is an interesting topic to expand its resource utilization. In this context, homogeneous reductive carbonylation is a hot topic for the utilization of CO₂ via reductive transformation. In this process, the metal hydride intermediate derived from the activation of the hydrogen source is crucial to the CO₂ reduction. Hydrogen, a clean source with high atom economy, can be used as a reducing agent for the reductive conversion of inert CO₂ through carbonylation, to construct C―O, C―N, and C―C bonds and to synthesize aldehyde/alcohol, carboxylic acid, ester, amide, and other chemicals. These expand the scope of CO₂ high-value utilization and show great potential application in terms of resource utilization and environmental protection. This CO₂ utilization process is thought to involve cascading catalytic reactions of CO₂ reduction and carbonylation. The catalytic systems require the corresponding catalysts to efficiently promote each step and effectively inhibit undesired side reactions. Recently, considerable progress has been made in the homogeneous reductive carbonylation of CO₂ with H₂. However, this kind of reaction is mostly of the cascade type, and hence, requires harsh conditions and noble metal catalysts. The chemoselectivity is low because of the multiple competing reactions. In addition, due to the steric hindrance and electronic effects of the substrate, there are limitations on the types of substrates that can be employed. With the development of new characterization techniques and theoretical calculations, some progress has been made in revealing the reaction mechanism and in the activation of the carbon-oxygen bonds of CO₂. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a more efficient catalytic system that requires mild conditions for reductive carbonylation. In this review, we provide an overview of the groundbreaking studies and the recent breakthroughs that have demonstrated the potential of metal catalysts to utilize the combination of CO₂ and H₂ as a C1 synthon, including olefin carbonylation, amine carbonylation, and alcohol/ether carbonylation, while highlighting the effect of different types of metal catalysts on the reaction. We conclude with a perspective on the future prospects of the homogeneous reductive carbonylation of CO₂ with H₂, providing readers a snapshot of this rapidly evolving field.     

Enantioselective microbial hydrolysis of dissymmetrical cyclic carbonates with disubstitution

Enantioselective microbial hydrolysis of C₁ and C₂ dissymmetrical cyclic carbonates with disubstitution (methyl and another groups) has been developed. Pseudomonas diminuta (FU0090), a bacterium, efficiently catalyzes the hydrolysis of five-membered cyclic carbonates. While the trans-substrates are hydrolyzed with low enantioselectivities and/or reactivities, the microbe hydrolyzes the cis-substrates with very high enantioselectivities to afford the corresponding almost optically pure anti-(2R,3S)-diols. On the other hand, six-membered trans-cyclic carbonates are enantioselectively hydrolyzed to afford the corresponding optically active syn-(2R,4R)-diols, although the hydrolysis of the cis-substrates gives racemic compounds. In all cases, the enzyme prefers the (R)-enantiomer for the carbon atom bearing a methyl group.     

Amino acids/superbases as eco-friendly catalyst system for the synthesis of cyclic carbonates under metal-free and halide-free conditions

An eco-friendly and efficient binary catalyst system of superbases and amino acids was developed for the synthesis of cyclic carbonates from epoxides and CO₂ under metal-free and halide-free conditions. Among the various amino acids and superbases systems tested, the L-histidine/1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]-undec-7-ene (DBU) system achieved the highest conversion of propylene oxide and selectivity of propylene carbonate. The effect of various reaction parameters was evaluated. A possible catalyst mechanism for L-histidine synergized with DBU in the ring opening of epoxide and DBU introduced CO₂ activation. The process herein represents a green, simple, and cost-effective route for the chemical fixation of CO₂ into cyclic carbonates.     

Titanocene dichloride/KI: an efficient catalytic system for synthesis of cyclic carbonates from epoxides and CO2

Titanocene dichloride (Cp₂TiCl₂)/KI was developed to be an efficient catalytic system for the cycloaddition of CO₂ to epoxides to synthesize relevant cyclic carbonates from epoxides and CO₂. Various influencing factors on the coupling reaction, such as co‐catalyst, temperature, CO₂ pressure and reaction time, were investigated. The optimal reaction conditions were KI as co‐catalyst, 150 °C reaction temperature, 12 atm CO₂ pressure and 4 h reaction time using THF as solvent for the synthesis of propylene carbonate in 98% yield. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Cyclic amidine hydroiodide for the synthesis of cyclic carbonates and cyclic dithiocarbonates from carbon dioxide or carbon disulfide under mild conditions

Hydroiodides of amidines can catalyze the reaction of carbon dioxide and epoxides under mild conditions such as ordinary pressure and ambient temperature, and the corresponding five-membered cyclic carbonates were obtained in high yields. The reaction of epoxide with carbon disulfide was also examined under the same conditions. Detailed investigation showed that the catalytic activity was highly affected by the counter anions of the amidine salts; the iodides were effective catalysts for both of the reaction of epoxide with carbon dioxide and carbon disulfide, whereas the bromide, chloride and fluoride counterparts exhibited almost no catalysis.     

Water as an efficient medium for the synthesis of cyclic carbonate

Herein, we report a novel method for the synthesis of cyclic carbonate in water. By tuning the amount of water, cycloaddition of CO₂ to epoxide in aqueous medium leads to cyclic carbonates with moderate to excellent yields and high selectivities. In addition, the presence of water could remarkably improve the activity of ionic liquids by which the turnover frequency of the reaction is about 4-5 times higher in the presence than in the absence of water. The relationship between the higher catalytic reactivity and water was proposed.     

Recent progress on the stereoselective synthesis of cyclic quaternary α-amino acids

The most recent papers describing the stereoselective synthesis of cyclic quaternary α-amino acids are collected in this review. The diverse synthetic approaches are classified according to the size of the ring and taking into account the bond that is formed to complete the quaternary skeleton.     

乙腈体系中咪唑溴盐和电制镁盐协同促进环氧化物与 CO2羧化反应合成环状碳酸酯

CO2是一种储量丰富且廉价易得的可再生 C1资源.以 CO2为原料的羧化反应可将 CO2高效转化成羧酸及其衍生物等高附加值化学品.例如, CO2和环氧化物反应生成环状碳酸酯属于“原子经济”反应,是有效利用 CO2的方法之一,其产物环状碳酸酯广泛用于极性有机溶剂、电池电解液和化妆品等.由于 CO2化学性质非常稳定,不易活化,制备环状碳酸酯的传统方法是以金属卤化物或金属配合物为催化剂在高温高压下进行反应.因此,开发出操作简便且能耗低的绿色技术用于合成环状碳酸酯面临巨大挑战.
　　最近研究表明,电催化技术可使环氧化物和 CO2在温和条件下转化为环状碳酸酯.已报道的电催化反应研究重点都是如何通过多相或均相电催化还原 CO2的方式使环氧化物能够在温和条件下进行羧化反应.然而, CO2电还原生成的 CO2?-自由基非常活泼,在其扩散到溶液中与环氧化物反应之前易在电极上直接转化为 CO和碳酸盐等副产物,从而导致羧化反应较低的电流效率.
　　 Ema课题组报道环氧化物与 CO2羧化反应经历三个步骤,即开环反应、CO2插入反应和闭环反应,其中开环反应活化能最大,是羧化反应决速步骤.与已报道的电催化途径不同,本文通过建立一个由电化学反应和羧化反应组成的催化反应体系,旨在通过降低开环反应活化能来促进环氧化物羧化反应.在电化学反应过程中,由牺牲阳极提供羧化反应必需的路易斯酸,即电制镁盐;在羧化反应过程中,通过电制镁盐和咪唑溴盐的协同作用实现环氧化物和 CO2在温和条件下高效率地转化为环状碳酸酯.
　　实验首先选取环氧苯乙烷为反应原料,考察了电制镁盐、共催化剂的阳离子以及羧化反应温度对目标产物产率的影响.如果羧化反应过程中没有镁盐或直接用等量溴化镁代替电制镁盐,羧化产率仅为5.4%和35.5%,而电制镁盐条件下羧化反应产率高达90.7%,表明电制镁盐作为路易斯酸催化剂对提高羧化反应产率是必不可少的.比较了在 N2和 CO2气氛中分别电解制备得到的镁盐的催化性能. N2气氛中电制镁盐更高的催化性能可能与溶剂乙腈或支持电解质的阳离子在阴极发生电还原生成的物质有关.该电还原产物可部分代替溴离子与电制镁盐配对,由于其体积更大,一定程度上提高了电制镁盐的亲电性,有利于羧化反应进行.如果用四丁基溴化铵代替咪唑溴盐作为共催化剂,羧化反应产率从90.7%降为65.5%.羧化反应过程中溴离子对电制镁盐的配对能力受共催化剂阳离子静电引力的牵制而减弱,共催化剂的阳离子对溴离子的静电引力越强,溴离子对电制镁盐亲电性的影响就越弱.前期研究成果表明,在乙腈溶液中咪唑阳离子对阴离子的静电引力明显强于季铵阳离子,由此可认为当咪唑溴盐作为共催化剂时提高了电制镁盐的亲电性,促进了环氧化物的开环反应.提高羧化反应温度虽然可以降低环氧化物开环反应的活化能,但也会降低 CO2在乙腈溶液中的溶解度,50°C反应较为合适.在最优反应条件下考察了该催化体系对其他环氧化物羧化反应的普适性,所得环状碳酸酯产率为48.3%–90.7%.     

Synthesis of cyclic carbonates from epoxides or olefins and CO2 catalyzed by metal-organic frameworks and quaternary ammonium salts

Catalytic properties of the metal-organic framework Cr-MIL-101 in solvent-free cycloaddition of CO₂ to epoxides to produce cyclic carbonates using tetrabutylammonium bromide as co-catalyst have been explored under mild reaction conditions (8 bar CO₂, 25 ⁰C). Styrene and propylene carbonates were formed with high yields (95% and 82%, respectively). Catalytic performance of Cr-MIL-101 was compared with other MOFs: Fe-MIL-101, Zn-MOF-5 and HKUST-1. The catalytic properties of different quaternary ammonium bromides, Cr-MIL-101 as well as PW₁₂/Cr-MIL-101 composite material have been assessed in oxidative carboxylation of styrene in the presence of both tert-butyl hydroperoxide and H₂O₂ as oxidants at 8–100 bar CO₂ and 25–80 ⁰C with selectivity to styrene carbonate up to 44% at 57% substrate conversion.     

Kinetic and computational studies on aminolysis of bicyclic carbonates bearing alicyclic structure giving alicyclic hydroxyurethanes

Aminolysis of bicyclic carbonates, which consist of five-membered cyclic carbonate and five- or six-membered alicyclic groups, was examined. Kinetic studies revealed that the aminolysis of the bicyclic carbonate with cyclohexane ring proceeded more smoothly than that of the bicyclic carbonate with cyclopentane ring. Computational calculation suggested that the different reaction rates originate from the distinct ring-strain of the cyclic carbonate groups affected by the conformation of the alicyclic groups.