Rational Design of Porous Organic Framework (POF) for Efficient Conversion of CO to Cyclic Carbonates and 2-Oxazolidinones at Atmospheric Pressure Conditions.

Carbon dioxide (CO) capture and its subsequent catalytic fixation into usable compounds represent a potential approach for addressing the energy problem and the implications of global warming. Hence, it is necessary to develop effective catalytic systems required for the transformation of CO into valuable chemicals/fuels. Herein, we rationally designed a hydroxyl-functionalized porous organic framework (OH-POF) consisting of both acidic (OH) as well as basic N sites for the transformation of CO using epoxides for the production of cyclic carbonates (CCs), a useful commodity chemical under environmental-friendly, metal/solvent/co-catalyst-free conditions. Moreover, OH-POF was post-synthetically modified to anchor non-noble metal, Zn(II) to generate Zn-POF and further explored it for the efficient functionalization of CO with propargylic amines to generate valuable bioactive 2-oxazolidinones. Significantly, both OH-POF and Zn-POF demonstrated exceptional reusability with catalytic efficacy retained across numerous cycles of use. Notably, this study showcases a green and sustainable process for utilization of CO under environmentally favorable ambient conditions into two highly valuable compounds, viz cyclic carbonates and 2-oxazolidinones.