A new air-stable zinc complex based on a 1,2-phenylene-diimino-2-cyanoacrylate ligand as an efficient catalyst of the epoxide-CO2 coupling.

A novel zinc complex based on a diethyl 1,2-phenylene-diimino-2-cyanoacrylate ligand is a very efficient catalyst in the conversion of epoxides with CO2 to organic carbonates, in the case of propylene carbonate also under mild reaction conditions. Using cyclohexene oxide leads to the formation of alternating aliphatic polycarbonates in good yields.