A Hierarchical Bipyridine-Constructed Framework for Highly Efficient Carbon Dioxide Capture and Catalytic Conversion

Abstract

As a C₁ feedstock, CO₂ has the potential to be uniquely highly economical in both a chemical and a financial sense. Porous materials bearing particular binding and active sites that can capture and convert CO₂ simultaneously are promising candidates for CO₂ utilization. In this work, a bipyridine-constructed polymer featuring a high surface area, a hierarchical porous structure, and excellent stability was synthesized through free-radical polymerization. After metalation, the resultant catalysts exhibited superior activities in comparison with those of their homogeneous counterparts in the cycloaddition of CO₂ to epoxides. The high performance of the heterogeneous catalysts originates from cooperative effects between the CO₂ -philic polymer and the embedded metal species. In addition, the catalysts showed excellent stabilities and are readily recyclable; thus, they are promising for practical utilization for the conversion of CO₂ into value-added chemicals.

Keywords: carbon dioxide fixation; cycloaddition; heterogeneous catalysis; nitrogen heterocycles; polymers.