Synthesis of Cyclic Carbonates from Carbon Dioxide and Epoxides in the Presence of Organoantimony Compounds as Novel Catalysts

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/jo01307a002

The reactions of carbon dioxide (1) with epoxides 2 to form cyclic carbonates 3 were carried out in the presence of organoantimony compounds as catalysts.Pentavalent organoantimony compounds, especially tetraphenylstibonium bromide (4b) and triphenylantimony dibromide (4d), are found to be more active catalysts than trivalent compounds, and the reactivity of compounds 2 seems to be in the following order: propylene oxide (2b) > styrene oxide (2d) > ethylene oxide (2a) > (chloromethyl)ethylene oxide (2c).The ring-opening polymerizations of 2b and 2d are also examined by using 4b and 4d, and it is found that they have no effect on the polymerization.On the basis of the results obtained, a reasonable scheme is proposed for the reaction.