A novel conjugated microporous polymer microspheres comprising cobalt porphyrins for efficient catalytic CO2 cycloaddition under ambient conditions

Conversion of carbon dioxide to cyclic carbonates and other value-added commercial products is a promising strategy for the modern chemical industry and removing CO 2 from the atmosphere. Catalysis with high-efficient is critical to the successful conversion of CO 2 into cyclic carbonates. Porous organic polymers (POPs) with integrated metalloporphyrin structures are known as typical efficient catalysts for the cycloaddition of CO 2 reaction. However, the high cost and energy consumption in synthesizing polymer still prohibit the application of CO 2 conversion. Here, we have prepared porphyrin-based conjugated microporous polymer (Co-Por-POPs) microspheres by a simple self-polymerization strategy, which exhibit high catalytic performances in the CO 2 cycloaddition reactions with free solvent under atmospheric pressure at room temperature. Even using dilute CO 2 (15% CO 2 in N 2 ), a TOF up to 8.1 h −1 could be afforded under ambient conditions (25 °C, 1 bar) by Co-Por-POP-2. This study highlights the potential for sustainable industrial syntheses of cyclic carbonates.