Sulfonic acid functionalized mesoporous SBA-15 as catalyst for styrene carbonate synthesis from CO2 and styrene oxide at moderate reaction conditions

• Sulfonic acid tethered mesoporous silica (SBA-15-SO3H) catalysts.
• SBA-15-SO3H/TBAB system as catalyst for CO2 transformation.
• Styrene carbonate synthesis at mild reaction conditions.
• Recycled the catalyst up to four consecutive cycles.

A sulfonic acid tethered mesoporous silica material (SBA-15-SO3H) was successfully synthesized and characterized using SAXS, N2 physisorption studies, TEM, EA and XPS. This metal-free heterogeneous catalyst with terabutyl ammonium bromide (TBAB) co-catalyst was found to be an efficient catalyst system for styrene carbonate synthesis from CO2 and styrene oxide. The synergistic mechanistic pathways of SBA-15-SO3H with TBAB have been explained by hydrogen bond interactions and nucleophilic effects. A turn over number of 920 was obtained at mild reaction temperature of 80 °C. The catalyst was thermally stable and reused for five times without loss of any significant activity.

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