Modification of porous lignin with metalloporphyrin as an efficient catalyst for the synthesis of cyclic carbonates

• Published in: Transition metal chemistry (Weinheim) 2020-02, Vol.45 (2), p.111-119
• Main Authors: Song, Kunpeng, Tang, Cheng, Zou, Zhijuan, Wu, Yundang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Catalysis; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Inorganic Chemistry; Organometallic Chemistry; Physical Chemistry
• ISSN: 0340-4285; 1572-901X
• DOI: 10.1007/s11243-019-00363-x

The conversion of carbon dioxide into useful chemical raw materials is a necessary development for advancing carbon dioxide capture and storage technology. In this work, a Friedel–Crafts reaction of lignin and metalloporphyrin was used to produce a lignin-based porous organic polymer (P-(L-FeTPP)) with a surface area of up to 1153 m 2  g −1 . P-(L-FeTPP)) efficiently catalyzed the cycloaddition reactions of epoxides and CO 2 under solvent-free conditions, with porphyrin iron acting as an active center. The product yield reached up to 99.6% after 12 h under 1 MPa CO 2 and 70 °C. A turnover number of 1481 was achieved, indicating that this catalyst is much more active than its homogeneous counterpart and is one of the most efficient lignin-supported heterogeneous catalysts ever reported. This method for the in situ incorporation of a metalloporphyrin into a lignin skeleton greatly improved the stability of the metal catalyst, and P-(L-FeTPP) was readily recycled and reused more than six times without any significant loss of catalytic activity. Thus, this catalyst design is promising for practical applications, including the industrial production of cyclic carbonates.