Cyclopropenimine-Mediated CO₂ Activation for the Synthesis of Polyurethanes and Small-Molecule Carbonates and...

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is an abundant C1 feedstock with tremendous potential to produce versatile building blocks in synthetic applications. Given the adverse impact of CO₂ on the atmosphere, it is of paramount importance to devise strategies for upcycling it into useful materials, such as polymers and fine chemicals. To activate such stable molecule, superbases offer viable modes of binding to CO₂. In this study, a superbase cyclopropenimine derivative was found to exhibit exceptional proficiency in activating CO₂ and mediating its polymerization at ambient temperature and pressure for the synthesis of polyurethanes. The versatility of this reaction can be extended to monofunctional amines and alcohols, yielding a variety of functional carbonates and carbamates.