Continuous flow conversion of styrene oxide into styrene carbonate: a sustainable pathway for CO2 utilization

Abstract The conversion of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) into high value products is a key strategy for emission mitigation and sustainable process development. This study successfully demonstrates a continuous flow system for the efficient carboxylation of styrene oxide using CO 2 and CuO/Al 2 O 3 as a heterogeneous catalyst. Various operating parameters, including temperature, pressure, and reagent flow rate, were optimized to maximize conversion and selectivity. The results showed that the optimal reaction conditions of 120 °C, a CO 2 flow rate of 15–18 mL min −1 , and a styrene oxide feed of 0.1 mL min −1 achieved conversions above 99% with 100% selectivity in residence times of 30–45 min. Compared with batch methods, the continuous flow process demonstrated superior efficiency, offering a more sustainable alternative for cyclic carbonate synthesis. This approach presents significant potential for CO 2 fixation and green chemistry applications.