Zinc-Catalyzed Transformation of Carbon Dioxide

This chapter gives an overview of the already existing systems and recent trends in the catalysis of copolymerization of epoxides and carbon dioxide using zinc-based catalysts. The zinc-catalyzed copolymerization of epoxides and carbon dioxide to polycarbonates is supposed to proceed via a bimetallic mechanism. Functionalized epoxides have been directly applied in the copolymerization with carbon dioxide. Catalysts used by the chemical industry to produce cyclic carbonates from carbon dioxide include organotin and organoantimony compounds. The two main synthetic strategies for this transformation are cycloaddition of CO2 and epoxides, and cyclization of diols and carbon dioxide. The chapter covers recent developments in zinc-catalyzed synthesis of cyclic carbonate utilizing carbon dioxide as a chemical feedstock. It explores the scope of the synthetic methodologies as well as the effect of reaction condition. In addition, the reaction mechanisms for these zinc catalysts are surveyed.