Citation: Jiayi Yang, Jianxiu Hao, Huacong Zhou, Quansheng Liu. “Gorgeous Transformation” of Carbon Dioxide into Cyclic Carbonates: Catalyst Types and Roles[J]. University Chemistry, ;2026, 41(2): 178-189. doi: 10.12461/PKU.DXHX202502105 shu

“Gorgeous Transformation” of Carbon Dioxide into Cyclic Carbonates: Catalyst Types and Roles

Jiayi Yang ^1,2 ,
Jianxiu Hao ^1,2,, ,
Huacong Zhou ^1,2,3 ,
Quansheng Liu ^1,2

1.
College of Chemical Engineering, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Hohhot 010051, China;
2.
Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Engineering, Hohhot 010051, China;
3.
Key Laboratory of CO₂ Resource Utilization at Universities of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Hohhot 010051, China

Corresponding author: Jianxiu Hao, hjx2020@imut.edu.cn
Received Date: 20 February 2025
Revised Date: 10 March 2025

The massive emission of carbon dioxide (CO₂) has led to a series of environmental challenges; however, CO₂ is also a valuable carbon resource. As a result, capturing CO₂ and converting it into high-value chemicals has become an urgent area of research in both science and industry. Chemically, CO₂ is considered a stable, safe, and abundant C1 resource. Converting CO₂ into high-value chemicals not only addresses the issue of CO₂ emissions but also facilitates its resource utilization. Among the various methods, the catalytic addition of CO₂ to epoxides for the preparation of high-value cyclic carbonates is a promising strategy for CO₂ utilization. This process is atomically efficient (100%), generates no by-products, and operates under mild reaction conditions. This review discusses the chemical utilization pathways of CO₂, emphasizes efficient catalysts for the CO₂ cycloaddition reaction, compares the catalytic activities of different types of catalysts, and concludes with a summary and outlook on the progress in CO₂ cycloaddition research.
- Carbon dioxide,
- Epoxide,
- Cyclic carbonate,
- Catalyst
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