Metal Ionic Liquids for the Rapid Chemical Fixation of CO2 under Ambient Conditions

CO2 cycloaddition is an important reaction for chemical fixation of CO2. It is desirable to design facile and green route for the efficient CO2 cycloaddition reaction, especially at ambient conditions. Here we propose a novel route for CO2 cycloaddition by utilizing metal ionic liquid (MIL) as both reaction media and catalyst. Outstandingly, propylene oxide can be completely converted to propylene carbonate with more than 99.0 % yield and more than 99 % selectivity at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. This strategy is efficient, facile, environmentally benign, which involves no additional catalyst and can easily recycle the MIL after reaction. It has potential for the practical procedure of gas separation and CO2 utilization in industrial waste gas.