Design of bifunctional quaternary phosphonium salt catalysts for CO₂ fixation reaction with epoxides under mild conditions

An efficient synthesis of cyclic carbonates from epoxides and CO₂ under mild reaction conditions was achieved via the use of a newly designed bifunctional quaternary phosphonium iodide catalyst. The importance of the bifunctional design of the catalysts was clearly demonstrated in the present work by control experiments. Furthermore, a chiral version of the bifunctional phosphonium salt could be applied to the kinetic resolution of this reaction.