Silica gel modified with tetraalkylammonium halides as an available and efficient catalyst for the synthesis of cyclic organic carbonates from epoxides and CO2

Silica gel with the additives of tetraalkylammonium halides serves as an efficient catalyst for the solvent-free insertion of carbon dioxide into epoxides (10-56 atm of CO2, 105-100 degrees C), leading to cyclic carbonates with quantitative conversion.