REGENERATION OF POLYVALENT METAL DICARBOXYLATE CATALYST FOR CARBON DIOXIDE-EPOXIDE COPOLYMERIZATION

摘要

A process is provided for regenerating a polyvalent metal dicarboxylate catalyst used in copolymerizing carbon dioxide with epoxides to form poly(alkylene carbonates). The catalyst is a polyvalent metal dicarboxylate and the regeneration procedure involves contacting spent or deactivated catalyst with dicarboxylic acid, preferably in a slurry. In one aspect the copolymerization is carried out and catalyst is separated from the polymerization mixture, reactivated with the dicarboxylic acid, such as glutaric or adipic acid, and reused in copolymerization to form poly(alkylene carbonate).