Effect of Hydrothermal Synthesis on the Structure and Activity of Double Metal Cyanide Catalysts for Ring-Opening Polymerization of Epoxides
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Double metal cyanide (DMC) catalysts are renowned for their effectiveness in the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of epoxides. Conventionally, their preparation involves multiple steps which is time-consuming and costly. In this study, we developed a one-pot procedure for synthesizing DMC catalysts using ZnCl2 and K3Co(CN)6 with a nonionic surfactant as a polymeric template. The catalysts were subjected to hydrothermal synthesis for various time (0–3 h). We observed that longer hydrothermal synthesis times led to a structural transformation of the catalyst from cubic to hexagonal, significantly impacting catalyst activity. The catalytic activities were evaluated through ROP of propylene oxide. Notably, the catalyst synthesized with 3 h of hydrothermal treatment exhibited the highest activity (turnover frequency of 735 min−1). The resulting polyols were characterized by moderate molecular weight, narrow PDI, and low unsaturation levels.