This work demonstrates the development of mesoporous
trimetallic
oxide scaffolds (TOSs) as heterogeneous catalysts for the solvent-free
transformation of CO2 into various value-added products.
The TOS catalyst was prepared using a solution-combustion protocol
as a time- and energy-saving method using cobalt, magnesium, and cerium
metal nitrate salts as precursors and ethylene glycol as the fuel
system and compared with their monometallic counterparts. Characterization
suggested strong metal–metal and metal–oxygen interactions
in the 3D-interconnected hierarchical porous network, which resulted
in substantial alteration in the electronic, structural, and physicochemical
properties. This resulted in an appreciable surface area, acid–base
cooperative sites, and a larger pore volume in the catalyst. Thereafter,
the CoMgCe-TOS catalyst was first used for the solvent-free cyclization
of o-phenylenediamines and CO2 to produce
benzimidazoles. In the presence of dimethylamine borane as a reductant,
benzimidazoles were obtained in 94% yield at 100 °C under pressurized
conditions, along with good recyclability for 12 cycles. It was established
that selectivity toward benzimidazole improved upon the incorporation
of basic metals (Mg and Ce), with Co aiding in the formation of cooperative
Lewis acid–base sites. A plausible mechanism was also predicted,
wherein the overall conversion of reactants for the N-formylation
step was influenced by the number and strength of basic sites, and
the cyclization step for selectively obtaining benzimidazole was affected
by the acidic site strength. Besides the production of benzimidazole,
the catalyst was also highly active for the synthesis of cyclic carbonates
using epoxides and CO2 under optimized reaction conditions.
This work therefore provides a new and greener route for the synthesis
of benzimidazoles and organic carbonates, which can be easily adapted
for scale-up applications.