Copolymerization of propylene oxide and CO2 using achiral salophen Co(III) penta-florobenzoate as catalyst and tetrabutyl ammonium bromide as co-catalyst

Abstract

Copolymerization of racemic propylene oxide with carbon dioxide is investigated in the presence of economically inexpensive and effective achiral salophenCo(III)X [salophen = N,N'-bis(3,5-di-tert-butylsalicylidene)-phenylenediimine, X = pentaflorobenzoate] catalyst and tetrabutyl ammonium bromide as co-catalyst. Effects of different variables like monomer to catalyst ratio, catalyst/co-catalyst ratio, temperature, pressure of CO2 on molecular weight, yield and selectivity of poly(propylene carbonate) [PPC] have been investigated. The maximum Mw of 25.8 g/mol has been obtained at 15 bar and 50°C. All the samples were found to have excellent polydispersity near to 1. © 2016 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.