Ionic Liquid Functionalized Chitosan Catalyst with Optimized Hydrophilic/Hydrophobic Structural Balance for Efficient CO2 Fixation

In this work a series of chitosan‐based catalysts with ranging hydrophobic/hydrophilic balance are successfully prepared by varying the ionic liquid and hydrocarbon chain length attached to chitosan. The chitosan modified with eight carbon units displayed efficient catalytic activity for the conversion of a wide range of epoxides to their corresponding cyclic carbonates under 1 atmosphere pressure of carbon dioxide without cocatalyst and solvent. The optimized catalyst was able to convert even diepoxides and sterically bulky epoxides like t‐butyl glycidyl ether to their corresponding cyclic carbonates. This study provides an insight into catalyst designing based on possible molecular interaction between reactants and active sites of the catalyst.