Design of New Networked Polymers Based on Synthesis of Five-membered Cyclic Carbonate from CO₂ and Epoxide

Abstract

SynopsisRecently, highly efficient reactions of CO₂ and their exploitation in designing new materials have attracted considerable attention. So far, we have focused on the reactivity of CO₂ as one of heterocumulenes, and have succeeded in the highly efficient synthesis of 5-membered cyclic carbonate by the reaction of epoxide and CO₂ under atmospheric pressure. This review article describes 1) the efficient utilization of CO₂ as a C1 chemical that involves its reaction with epoxide under mild conditions without any external supply of energy, 2) the characteristic reactivity of 5-membered cyclic carbonate, i.e., the highly chemoselective reaction with amine, 3) polymer synthesis based on this characteristic and advantageous reaction, and 4) the current status and the future prospect of synthesis of functional networked polymers based on the synthesis and reaction of 5-membered cyclic carbonate.