Magnetic Catalyst KF/CaO–CoFe₂O₄ for the Preparation of Polycarbonate Diol (PCDL)

With an increasing demand for green chemistry and sustainable development, it is needed to design a solid base with high catalytic activity, excellent stability and reusability. In this work, a new kind of magnetic solid basic catalyst KF/CaO–CoFe₂O₄ was prepared by the method including co-precipitation and isochoric impregnation, and it was successfully applied in the preparation of polycarbonate diol (PCDL) from the transesterification of 1,4-butanediol with dimethyl carbonate. The characteristics and properties of the catalyst were examined and analyzed by XRD, TEM, CO₂-TPD and VSM. The effects of various parameters such as shell-core mole ratio, KF loading, calcination temperature, catalyst dosage, and the mole ratio of the raw materials on the yield of PCDL were investigated and the yield of PCDL can reach to 71.2% under the optimal reaction conditions. In addition, the catalyst can be easily separated by an external magnet after reaction, and the catalytic activity of the catalyst can well be maintained for 4 cycles.