Catalytic coupling of carbon dioxide and 2,3-epoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene in the presence of a (Salen)CrIIICl derivative

The coupling reaction of carbon dioxide and 2,3-epoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene catalyzed by (salen)(CrCl)-Cl-III, H(2)salen = N,N'-bis(3,5-di-tert-butylsalicylidene)-1,2-ethylenediimine, in the presence of a co-catalyst, N-methylimidazole, affords a moderate yield of the cis cyclic carbonate product along with a trace quantity of polycarbonate. The solid-state structures of both the epoxide monomer and the cis cyclic carbonate were determined by X-ray crystallography.