A novel conjugated microporous polymer microspheres comprising cobalt porphyrins for efficient catalytic CO2 cycloaddition under ambient conditions

Conversion of carbon dioxide to cyclic carbonates and other value-added commercial products is a promising strategy for the modern chemical industry and removing CO2 from the atmosphere. Catalysis with high-efficient is critical to the successful conversion of CO2 into cyclic carbonates. Porous organic polymers (POPs) with integrated metalloporphyrin structures are known as typical efficient catalysts for the cycloaddition of CO2 reaction. However, the high cost and energy consumption in synthesizing polymer still prohibit the application of CO2 conversion. Here, we have prepared porphyrin-based conjugated microporous polymer (Co-Por-POPs) microspheres by a simple self-polymerization strategy, which exhibit high catalytic performances in the CO2 cycloaddition reactions with free solvent under atmospheric pressure at room temperature. Even using dilute CO2 (15% CO2 in N2), a TOF up to 8.1 h−1 could be afforded under ambient conditions (25 °C, 1 bar) by Co-Por-POP-2. This study highlights the potential for sustainable industrial syntheses of cyclic carbonates.