Aluminium based binary catalytic system for the solvent free conversion of CO to carbonates with high activity and selectivity.

An easily prepared and low-cost aluminium based metal complex catalyst was prepared using kojic acid (Hkoj) as a ligand, and this developed oxo-coordinated Al(koj) complex showed high activity and selectivity for the CO fixation reaction with epoxides under mild conditions without any organic solvents. Various cyclic carbonates were obtained in excellent yields (up to 99%). This stable catalytically active Al(koj) has strong Lewis acidity for the activation of epoxides, and meanwhile the hydroxy group in Al(koj) may play a role in boosting the catalytic activity through possible hydrogen bonding interactions with the epoxide.