Ligand-assisted formation of mesoporous Zn-N-C to realize superior catalytic activity in solvent-free CO 2 cycloaddition reactions.

Mesoporous nitrogen-doped carbon-anchored single atom Zn was synthesized through etching of ZIF-8 with 1,10-phenanthroline and subsequent pyrolysis based on the Kirkendall effect. The abundant pores and increased surface area promote CO 2 adsorption and mass transfer, thus significantly improving the catalytic activity in solvent-free cycloaddition of epoxides with CO 2 .