1. Highly active aluminium catalysts for the formation of organic carbonates from CO2 and oxiranes
- Author
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Nicola Kielland, Christopher J. Whiteoak, Fernando Castro-Gómez, Eddy Martin, Victor Laserna, Eduardo C. Escudero-Adán, Arjan W. Kleij, and Carles Bo
- Subjects
inorganic chemicals ,Chemistry ,Ligand ,Organic Chemistry ,Inorganic chemistry ,Halide ,chemistry.chemical_element ,Homogeneous catalysis ,Context (language use) ,General Chemistry ,Catalysis ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Aluminium ,Organic chemistry ,Carbonate ,Density functional theory - Abstract
Al(III) complexes of amino-tris(phenolate) ligand scaffolds have been prepared to attain highly Lewis acidic catalysts. Combination of the aforementioned systems with ammonium halides provides highly active catalysts for the synthesis of organic carbonates through addition of carbon dioxide to oxiranes with initial turnover frequencies among the highest reported to date within the context of cyclic carbonate formation. Density functional theory (DFT) studies combined with kinetic data provides a rational for the relative high activity found for these Al(III) complexes, and the data are consistent with a monometallic mechanism. The activity and versatility of these Al(III) complexes has also been evaluated against some state-of-the-art catalysts and the combined results compare favorably in terms of catalyst construction, stability, activity, and applicability.
- Published
- 2013