Well dispersed gold nanoparticles into the multi amine functionalized SBA-15 for green chemical fixation of carbon dioxide to cyclic carbonates under solvent free conditions

[Display omitted] •The gold nanoparticles were encapsulated into the SBA-15 mesoporous in a simple way.•Stabilizing ability of functionalized and non-functionalized SBA-15 were compared.•Catalytic activity of these modified SBA-15 in CO2 fixation reaction were studied.•Functionalized SBA-15 including gold NPs shows high catalytic activity.•Various cyclic carbonates were obtained in high yield under solvent free condition. In a simple, common and repeatable procedure gold nanoparticles (NPs) were encapsulated into the mesopores of tris-(2-aminoethyl)-amine functionalized SBA-15 and non-functionalized SBA-15 as a host with size controlling and stabilizing ability. After full determination and characterization of morphological, chemical and physical structure of catalysts, the catalytic activity of these gold based catalysts were compared in the coupling of CO2 with epoxides. Various five-membered cyclic carbonates were obtained in high yield under solvent free condition with several epoxides undergo CO2 fixation reaction. Well stabilized gold NPs into the modified meso-channels of SBA-15 were used as an efficient and highly active catalyst. The effect of organic linker on the size, dispersity, metal loading capacity, activity and reusability of the catalyst was also investigated. Different parameters such as catalyst loading, temperature, CO2 pressure and reaction time were optimized.