Stereochemically inert cationic cobalt(III) complexes were shown to be one-component catalysts for the synthesis of cyclic carbonates from epoxides and carbon dioxide at 50 °C and 5 MPa carbon dioxide pressure. The optimal catalyst possessed an iodide counter anion and could be recycled. A catalytic cycle is proposed in which the ligand of the cobalt complexes acts as a hydrogen-bond donor, activating the epoxide towards ring opening by the halide anion and activating the carbon dioxide for subsequent reaction with the halo-alkoxide. No kinetic resolution was observed when terminal epoxides were used as substrates, but chalcone oxide underwent kinetic resolution.

The mechanism by which [Al(salen)]₂O complexes catalyse the synthesis of cyclic carbonates from epoxides and carbon dioxide in the absence of a halide cocatalyst has been investigated. Density functional theory (DFT) studies, mass spectrometry and ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR and infrared spectroscopies provide evidence for the formation of an unprecedented carbonato bridged bimetallic aluminium complex which is shown to be a key intermediate for the halide-free synthesis of cyclic carbonates from epoxides and carbon dioxide. Deuterated and enantiomerically-pure epoxides were used to study the reaction pathway. Based on the experimental and theoretical results, a catalytic cycle is proposed.

Chromium and aluminium salphen complexes have been found to display remarkable catalytic activity in the synthesis of cyclic carbonates from a range of epoxides and carbon dioxide. The Al(salphen) complex is more reactive towards terminal epoxides at ambient temperature and pressure, whereas the Cr(salphen) complex exhibits higher catalytic activity towards more challenging internal epoxides at elevated temperature and pressure.

The combination of a bimetallic titanium(salen) complex [Ti(salen)O]₂ and either tetrabutylammonium bromide or tributylamine forms a highly active catalyst system for the reaction between epoxides and carbon disulfide to lead to di- and/or trithiocarbonates. Reactions can be performed at 90 °C by using just 0.5–1.0 mol % of the catalysts. The reactions proceed with the inversion of the epoxide configuration and on the basis of kinetic and spectroscopic evidence, a mechanism to account for the results is proposed.

The bimetallic aluminium(salen) complex [(Al(salen))₂O] is known to catalyse the reaction between epoxides and heterocumulenes (carbon dioxide, carbon disulfide and isocyanates) leading to five-membered ring heterocycles. Despite their apparent similarities, these three reactions have very different mechanistic features, and a kinetic study of oxazolidinone synthesis combined with previous kinetic work on cyclic carbonate and cyclic dithiocarbonate synthesis showed that all three reactions follow different rate equations. An NMR study of [Al(salen)]₂O and phenylisocyanate provided evidence for an interaction between them, consistent with the rate equation data. A variable-temperature kinetics study on all three reactions showed that cyclic carbonate synthesis had a lower enthalpy of activation and a more negative entropy of activation than the other two heterocycle syntheses. The kinetic study was extended to oxazolidinone synthesis catalysed by the monometallic complex Al(salen)Cl, and this reaction was found to have a much less negative entropy of activation than any reaction catalysed by [Al(salen)]₂O, a result that can be explained by the partial dissociation of an oligomeric Al(salen)Cl complex. A mechanistic rationale for all of the results is presented in terms of [Al(salen)]₂O being able to function as a Lewis acid and/or a Lewis base, depending upon the susceptibility of the heterocumulene to reaction with nucleophiles.

Kinetic studies of the synthesis of glycerol carbonate from glycidol and carbon dioxide have been carried out. These showed that under suitable reaction conditions, bimetallic aluminium(salen) complex 4 is able to catalyse the conversion of epoxides into the corresponding cyclic carbonates without the need for a co-catalyst.