The Polymer Society of Korea

Abstract

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) continues to accumulate in the atmosphere, posing significant environmental challenges. To mitigate CO₂ emissions, the efficient conversion of CO₂ into value-added products is essential. Among the CO₂ valorization strategies, the cycloaddition reaction between CO₂ and epoxides is widely recognized; however, it generally relies on harsh reaction conditions with a suitable catalyst. In this study, we strategically designed star polymer-based catalysts promoting the reaction under room temperature and atmospheric pressure. Notably, the polymer exhibits lower critical solution temperature behavior, enabling facile separation via a simple temperature-induced phase transition and filtration. Furthermore, the synergistic incorporation of nucleophilic sites into the star polymer significantly enhances CO₂ conversion efficiency. This work offers insights into the design of thermoresponsive and recyclable catalytic systems for the CO₂ utilization under mild conditions