CATALYTIC PRODUCTION OF CYCLIC CARBONATES FROM WASTE CARBON DIOXIDE

The world is currently producing too much carbon dioxide and this is contributing to global warming. A significant amount of this carbon dioxide is produced at fixed sites including fossil fuel power stations, chemical plants and metal production sites. The aim of this proposal is to take this waste carbon dioxide and divert it away from atmospheric release to be used in the synthesis of cyclic carbonates which are themselves commercially important chemicals with a prospective market of up to 30 million tonnes per annum. If fully implemented, this could reduce the UK's carbon dioxide emissions by about 2.5% per annum and generate significant wealth within the UK.To accomplish this transformation we will develop and exploit bimetallic aluminium complexes similar to those we have already published and show that they can be used successfully in a continuous flow reactor with ethylene oxide and carbon dioxide as reactant and ethylene carbonate as product. During this project, the structure of both the aluminium salen complex and the solid support will be optimized.In addition, a thorough analysis of the current and potential market for cyclic carbonates will be undertaken. This will concentrate on analysing the capabilities of the current manufacturers, determining the current and anticipated current demand and quantifying the availability of the ethylene oxide and other epoxides required as raw materials.