State-of-the-Art Multifunctional Heterogeneous POP Catalyst for Cooperative Transformation of CO2 to Cyclic Carbonates

A single-component multifunctional catalyst (denoted as Mg-por/pho@POP) based on a magnesium porphyrin and phosphonium salt-integrated porous organic polymer (POP) was afforded via a solvothermal synthetic technique for cyclic carbonate production which uses epoxides and CO2. In consequence of the cooperative (or synergistic) effect of a phosphonium salt and homogeneously dispersed magnesium porphyrin moiety, which is possibly reinforced through the flexible frameworks and confined microporous structure, this powerful catalyst offered the highest activity of a heterogeneous catalyst within the context of cyclic carbonates synthesis from epoxide and CO2 (turnover frequencies up to 15,600 h–1) without the addition of co-catalysts. More surprisingly, very promising turnover numbers (TONs) of 14,400 and 4200 were realized at very mild temperatures of 25 and 40 °C. Moreover, Mg-por/pho@POP can be simply recovered and reused at least five times.