Cr-Phthalocyanine Porous Organic Polymer as an Efficient and Selective Catalyst for Mono Carbonylation of Epoxides to Lactones

Abstract

A facile, one-pot design strategy to construct chromium(III)-phthalocyanine chlorides (Pc’CrCl) to form porous organic polymer (POP-Pc’CrCl) using solvent knitting Friedel-Crafts reaction (FCR) is described. The generated highly porous POP-Pc’CrCl is functionalized by post-synthetic exchange reaction with nucleophilic cobaltate ions to provide an heterogenized carbonylation catalyst (POP-Pc’CrCo(CO)4) with Lewis acid-base type bimetallic units. The produced porous polymeric catalyst is identical to that homogeneous counterpart in structure and coordination environments. The catalyst is very selective and effective for mono carbonylation of epoxide into corresponding lactone and the activities are comparable to those observed for a homogeneous Pc’CrCo(CO)4 catalyst. The (POP-Pc’CrCo(CO)4) also displayed a good catalytic activities and recyclability upon successive recycles.