Assessment of Green Chemistry Metrics for Carbon Dioxide Fixation into Cyclic Carbonates Using Eutectic Mixtures as Catalyst: Comprehensive Evaluation on the Example of a Tannic Acid-Derived System

The synthesis ofcyclic carbonates, which utilizes CO2 as a feedstock, isamong the transformations presenting an opportunityto reduce CO2 emissions, while enhancing independence fromfossil fuels. Desirability lies in the development of efficient, economicallyviable and sustainable catalysts for this approach. Many recent publicationsdescribe the successful utilization of eutectic solvents/deep eutecticsolvents for the synthesis of cyclic carbonates. Nevertheless, themajority of them focuses on reporting catalyst performance (productyield) and reaction conditions (temperature, pressure, reaction time)with little insights into the sustainability aspects (process massintensity (PMI), solvents, and critical elements involved, as wellas health and safety parameters described by H-code). Taking an exampleof the system composed of naturally occurring, inexpensive tannicacid combined with choline halides, the green chemistry metrics wereevaluated for different DESs and other two-component catalysts anddiscussed in terms of guiding future designs of sustainable catalyticsystems for the synthesis of cyclic carbonates. Insights into the sustainability aspects while designingbicomponent catalysts for the CO2 fixation into cycliccarbonates.