Copolymerization of Epichlorohydrin and CO2 Using Zinc Glutarate: An Additional Application of ZnGA in Polycarbonate Synthesis

The use of zinc glutarate (ZnGA) as a heterogeneous catalyst for the copolymerization of epichlorohydrin, an epoxide with an electron‐withdrawing substituent, and CO2 is reported. This catalyst shows the highest selectivity (98%) for polycarbonate over the cyclic carbonate in epichlorohydrin/CO2 copolymerization under mild conditions. The (epichlorohydrin‐co‐CO2) polymer exhibits a high glass transition temperature (Tg), 44 °C, which is the maximum Tg value obtained for the (epichlorohydrin‐co‐CO2) polymer to date. The ability of zinc glutarate (ZnGA) to produce polycarbonate from epichlorohydrin (ECH), an epoxide with an electron‐withdrawing substituent, and CO2 is revealed. This heterogeneous ZnGA catalyst shows highest selectivity (98%) for polycarbonate over the cyclic carbonate in ECH/CO2 copolymerization under mild conditions.