To study the relationship between polymorphism and catalytic
activities
of lanthanide coordination polymers in the cycloaddition reactions
of CO2 with epoxides, the monoclinic and triclinic polymorphs
of [LnIII(NH3–Glu)(ox)]·2H2O, where LnIII = LaIII (I), PrIII (II), NdIII (III),
SmIII
(IV), EuIII (V), GdIII (VI), TbIII (VII), and DyIII (VIII), NH3–Glu– = NH3
+ containing glutamate,
and ox2– = oxalate, were synthesized and characterized.
Factors determining polymorphic preference, the discrepancy between
the two polymorphic framework structures, potential acidic and basic
sites, thermal and chemical stabilities, active surface areas, void
volumes, CO2 sorption/desorption isotherms, and temperature-programmed
desorption of NH3 and CO2 are comparatively
presented. Based on the cycloaddition of CO2 with epichlorohydrin
in the presence of tetrabutylammonium bromide under solvent-free conditions
and ambient pressure, catalytic activities of the two polymorphs were
evaluated, and the relationship between polymorphism and catalytic
performances has been established. Better performances of the monoclinic
catalysts have been revealed and rationalized. In addition, the scope
of monosubstituted epoxides was experimented and the outstanding performance
of the monoclinic catalyst in the cycloaddition reaction of CO2 with allyl glycidyl ether under ambient pressure has been
disclosed.