Preparation of Cyclic Urethanes from Amino Alcohols and Carbon Dioxide Using Ionic Liquid Catalysts with Alkali Metal Promoters

Several ionic liquids were applied as catalysts for the synthesis of cyclicurethanes from amino alcohols and pressurized CO2 in the presence of alkali metalcompounds as promoters. A comparative study was made for the catalytic performanceusing different ionic liquids, substrates, promoters, and pressures. The optimum catalyticsystem was BMIM-Br promoted by K2CO3, which, for 1-amino-2-propanol, produced cyclicurethane in 40% yield with a smaller yield of substituted cyclic urea and no oligomericbyproducts. For other amino alcohols, cyclic urethanes, cyclic ureas, and/or undesiredbyproducts were produced in different yields depending on the substrates used. Possiblereaction mechanisms are proposed.