Surface activated zinc-glutarate for the copolymerization of CO and epoxides

• Published in: Dalton transactions : an international journal of inorganic chemistry 2022-11, Vol.51 (43), p.1662-16627
• Main Authors: Yang, Yongmoon, Lee, Jong Doo, Seo, Yeong Hyun, Chae, Ju-Hyung, Bang, Sohee, Cheong, Yeon-Joo, Lee, Bun Yeoul, Lee, In-Hwan, Son, Seung Uk, Jang, Hye-Young
• Format: Article
• ISSN: 1477-9226; 1477-9234
• DOI: 10.1039/d2dt03007a

Zinc-glutarate (ZnGA) is a promising catalyst that can form polymers from CO 2 and epoxides, thereby contributing to the development of CO 2 utilization technologies and future sustainability. One of the obstacles to commercializing ZnGA in polymer industries is its low catalytic activity. In this study, we introduced activated two-dimensional (2D) ZnGA to improve its catalytic activity in polymerization. The morphology-controlled 2D ZnGA was treated with H 3 Co(CN) 6 , and a porous granular-type Co-modified ZnGA (Co-ZnGA) was prepared. The morphology of 2D ZnGA is a prerequisite for the activation by H 3 Co(CN) 6 . The catalytic properties of Co-ZnGA were evaluated by copolymerization of various epoxides and CO 2 , and exhibited catalytic activity of 855, 1540, 1190, and 148 g g-cat −1 with propylene oxide, 1,2-epoxyhexane, 1,2-epoxybutane, and styrene oxide, respectively. This study provided a new strategy using 2D ZnGA instead of conventional ZnGA for increasing the catalytic activity in CO 2 polymerization. A sustainable CO 2 polymerization using surface activated zinc glutarate catalysts produces industrially useful polymers with good catalytic activity.