Catalytic CO2 fixation over a high-throughput synthesized copper terephthalate metal-organic framework

Abstract

In this study, a porous copper metal-organic framework with terephthalate linker, Cu(TPA), was synthesized in DMF via a high-throughput (gram quantities) solvothermal method. Cu(TPA) that arranged in the C2/m space group upon an innovative controlled thermal treatment through removing coordinated DMF molecules to the Cu(II) center provided large square pores with Lewis acidic Cu(II) sites. Upon a novel activation strategy, DMF molecules in the structure of Cu(TPA) were partially eliminated to act as polar groups to enhance the affinity of CO2 into the catalysts. The synergistic effect of Cu(II) metal center with DMF decorated pores was deliberate in the cycloaddition reaction of epoxides with CO2. The partially activated Cu(TPA), Cu(TPA)′, in treating with CO2 that coordinate to the Cu(II) centers in the two-dimensional tunnels revealed excellent heterogeneous catalytic entitativity in solvent-free conditions toward CO2 fixation to cyclic carbonates. Besides, for several cycles, the Cu(TPA) catalyst under mild conditions was simply recycled and reused with a little loss in catalytic performance.