Lewis base-CO2 adducts as organocatalysts for CO2 transformation

In the recent decade, the development and application of organocatalysis for CO2 transformation into useful chemicals have attracted much attention. Among these organocatalysts, Lewis base-CO2 adducts (LB-CO2) were found to be more efficient. The used Lewis base has great effect on the catalytic activity of its CO2 adduct. This review reports the recent progress in LB-CO2 adducts catalyzed the cyclization of CO2 with epoxides or aziridines to afford cyclic carbonates or oxazolidinones, the carboxylation of CO2 with propargylic alcohols to alpha-alkylidene cyclic carbonates, and the reduction of CO2 to methanol, formamides and methylamines, with the focus on the catalytic mechanism.