Metal Acetylacetonates as Robust Catalysts for the Synthesis of Oxazolidinone from CO_(2);Aziridine Under Atmospheric Pressure

Metal acetylacetonates,a type of readily synthesized or commercially available metal complex,were demonstrated to be robust catalysts for the synthesis of oxazolidinone from CO_(2);aziridine under condition of atmospheric pressure and mild temperature,exhibiting high chemo- and regio-selectivity.Tetrabutylammonium halides were employed as cocatalysts in the reaction,and it was believed that the reaction activity was influenced by a balance of anions’ two abilities,namely their nucleophilicity in ring-opening of aziridines and their leaving capacity in ring-closing of intermediate carbamate salts to form oxazolidinones.Notably,higher nucleophilicity of these anions resulted in increased formation of dimers,which served as by-products of the reaction.The study of mechanism suggested that there should be an alternative pathway involving CO_(2) derivative acting as a nucleophile during the ring-opening process,and this pathway could not be ignored when conventional nucleophiles,such as tetrabutylammonium halides are absent.