A quaternary phosphonium and tertiary phosphorus functionalized
microporous polymer was obtained via nickel(0)-catalyzed Yamamoto-type
cross-coupling reaction. The integration ratio of signals (quaternary
phosphonium to tertiary phosphorus atoms) was close to 3:2. The polymer
networks were stable toward water, base, and acid, and indeed no change
in surface area was observed even after the material was treated with
10 M HCl. The pore size distribution calculated by the Horvath–Kawazoe
method indicated the presence of micropores with a mean width of about
0.7 and 1.4 nm. Their apparent BET specific surface areas can be tuned
(from 650 to 980 m2 g–1) by changing
the counteranions (Br– to F–).
It displays high intrinsic catalytic activity for the reaction between
epoxide and CO2 (yield: 98%, 1 atm). Pd nanoparticles supported
on the polymer networks were also prepared, which exhibits high catalytic
activity for cross-coupling reaction between 1-chlorobenzene and phenylboronic
acid (yield: >95.8%).