From Carbon Dioxide to Methane: Homogeneous Reduction of Carbon Dioxide with Hydrosilanes Catalyzed by Zirconium−Borane Complexes

Ir-catalyzed selective reduction of CO2 to the methoxy or formate level with HSiMe(OSiMe3)2

Ir-NSi-based catalysts allow controlling the selective reduction of CO₂ with HSiMe(OSiMe₃)₂ to afford methoxysilane or silyl formate.

A ruthenium porphyrin-based porous organic polymer for the hydrosilylative reduction of CO2 to formate

A ruthenium-based porous organic polymer is constructed and used to reduce CO₂ to potassium formate.

Benzimidazoles as Metal-Free and Recyclable Hydrides for CO2 Reduction to Formate

We report a novel metal-free chemical reduction of CO₂ by a recyclable benzimidazole-based organo-hydride, whose choice was guided by quantum chemical calculations. Notably, benzimidazole-based hydride donors rival the hydride-donating abilities of noble-metal-based hydrides such as [Ru(tpy)(bpy)H]⁺ and [Pt(depe)₂H]⁺. Chemical CO₂ reduction to the formate anion (HCOO^-) was carried out in the absence of biological enzymes, a sacrificial Lewis acid, or a base to activate the substrate or reductant. ¹³CO₂ experiments confirmed the formation of H¹³COO^- by CO₂ reduction with the formate product characterized by ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy and ESI-MS. The highest formate yield of 66% was obtained in the presence of potassium tetrafluoroborate under mild conditions. The likely role of exogenous salt additives in this reaction is to stabilize and shift the equilibrium toward the ionic products. After CO₂ reduction, the benzimidazole-based hydride donor was quantitatively oxidized to its aromatic benzimidazolium cation, establishing its recyclability. In addition, we electrochemically reduced the benzimidazolium cation to its organo-hydride form in quantitative yield, demonstrating its potential for electrocatalytic CO₂ reduction. These results serve as a proof of concept for the electrocatalytic reduction of CO₂ by sustainable, recyclable, and metal-free organo-hydrides.

Efficient Conversion of Carbon Dioxide with Si-Based Reducing Agents Catalyzed by Metal Complexes and Salts

Homogeneous metal complex and salt catalysts were developed for the reductive transformation of CO₂ with Si-based reducing agents. Cu-bisphosphine complexes were found to be excellent catalysts for the hydrosilylation of CO₂ with polymethylhydrosiloxane (PMHS). The Cu complexes also showed high catalytic activity and a wide substrate scope for formamide synthesis from amines, CO₂ , and PMHS. Simple fluoride salts such as tetrabutylammonium fluoride acted as good catalysts for the reductive conversion of CO₂ to formic acid in the presence of hydrosilane, disilane, and metallic Si. Based on the kinetics, isotopic experiments, and in-situ NMR measurements, the reaction mechanism for both catalyst systems, the Cu complex and the fluoride salt, have been proposed.

Integration of CO2 Reduction with Subsequent Carbonylation: Towards Extending Chemical Utilization of CO2

Currently, it still remains a challenge to amplify the spectrum of chemical fixation of CO₂ , although enormous progress has been achieved in this field. In view of the widespread applications of CO in a myriad of industrial carbonylation processes, an alternative strategy is proposed in which CO₂ reduction to CO is combined with carbonylation with CO generated ex situ, which affords efficiently pharmaceutically and agrochemically attractive molecules. As such, CO₂ in this study was efficiently reduced by triphenysilane using CsF to CO in a sealed two-chamber reactor. Subsequently, palladium-catalyzed aminocarbonylation, carbonylative Sonogashira coupling of aryl iodides, and rhodium(I)-mediated Pauson-Khand-type reaction proceeded smoothly to yield amides, alkynones, and bicyclic cyclopentenones, respectively. Furthermore, the formed alkynones can further be successfully converted to a series of heterocycles, for example, pyrazoles, 3a-hydroxyisoxazolo[3,2-a]isoindol-8-(3aH)-one derivatives and pyrimidines in moderate yields. The striking features of this protocol include operational simplicity, high efficiency, and relatively broad application scope, which represents an alternative avenue for CO₂ transformation.

Computational mechanistic study of Ru-catalyzed CO2 reduction by pinacolborane revealing the σ-π coupling mechanism for CO2 decarbonylation

It has been reported that RuH2(η2-H2)2(PCy3)2 (1) could mediate CO2 reduction by pinacolborane (HBpin), affording pinBOBpin (7), pinBOCH3 (8), pinBOCHO (9), pinBOCH2OBpin (10), and an unprecedented C2 species pinBOCH2OCHO (11), which meanwhile is converted to the Ru complexes, including the transient 3 (RuH(κ2-O2CH)(CO)(PCy3)2) and 5 (RuH{(μ-H)2Bpin}(CO)(PCy3)2), and the persistent 4 (RuH(κ2-O2CH)(CO)2(PCy3)2) and 6 (RuH2(CO)2(PCy3)2). To gain an insight into the catalysis, a DFT study was carried out. The study identified the key active catalyst to be the hydride 13 (RuH2(CO)(PCy3)2) and characterized the mechanisms leading to the experimentally observed species (3-11). By investigating the experimental system, we learned a new mechanism called σ-π coupling for CO2 decarbonylation. Under this mechanism, CO2 and HBpin first co-coordinate to the Ru center of 13, then σ-π coupling takes place, forming a B-O bond between CO2 and HBpin, Ru-H and Ru-C bonds, and simultaneously breaking the H-Bpin bond, followed by -OBpin group migration to the Ru center, completing the CO2 decarbonylation. An interesting feature regarding the Ru catalysis was the involvement of η1-Hη1-H → η2-H2 and η1-Hη1-Bpin → η2-HBpin reductions, which facilitated the oxidative H-Bpin addition or the coordination mode change of CO2 from η1-O to η2-CO for CO2 activation or σ-π coupling. The facilitation effects could be attributed to the reductions enhancing the electron donations from the Ru center to the antibonding orbitals of the activating bonds.

CO2 to methanol conversion using hydride terminated porous silicon nanoparticles

Porous silicon nanoparticles (Si-NPs) prepared via magnesiothermic reduction were used to convert carbon dioxide (CO₂) into methanol. The hydride surface of the silicon nanoparticles acted as a CO₂ reducing reagent without any catalyst at temperatures above 100 °C. The Si nanoparticles were reused up to four times without significant loss in methanol yields. The reduction process was monitored using in situ FT-IR and the materials were characterized using SEM, TEM, NMR, XPS, and powder XRD techniques. The influence of reaction temperature, pressure, and Si-NP concentration on CO₂ reduction were also investigated. Finally, Si particles produced directly from sand were used to convert CO₂ to methanol.

Insight into catalytic reduction of CO2 to methane with silanes using Brookhart's cationic Ir(iii) pincer complex

Using density functional theory computations, we investigated in detail the underlying reaction mechanism and crucial intermediates present during the reduction of carbon dioxide to methane with silanes, catalyzed by the cationic Ir-pincer complex ((POCOP)Ir(H)(acetone)+, POCOP = 2,6-bis(dibutylphosphinito)phenyl). Our study postulates a plausible catalytic cycle, which involves four stages, by sequentially transferring silane hydrogen to the CO2 molecule to give silylformate, bis(silyl)acetal, methoxysilane and the final product, methane. The first stage of reducing carbon dioxide to silylformate is the rate-determining step in the overall conversion, which occurs via the direct dissociation of the silane Si-H bond to the C[double bond, length as m-dash]O bond of a weakly coordinated Ir-CO2 moiety, with a free energy barrier of 29.5 kcal mol-1. The ionic SN2 outer-sphere pathway in which the CO2 molecule nucleophilically attacks at the η1-silane iridium complex to cleave the η1-Si-H bond, followed by the hydride transferring from iridium dihydride [(POCOP)IrH2] to the cation [O[double bond, length as m-dash]C-OSiMe3]+, is a slightly less favorable pathway, with a free energy barrier of 33.0 kcal mol-1 in solvent. The subsequent three reducing steps follow similar pathways: the ionic SN2 outer-sphere process with silylformate, bis(silyl)acetal and methoxysilane substrates nucleophilically attacking the η1-silane iridium complex to give the ion pairs [(POCOP)IrH2] [HC(OSiMe3)2]+, [(POCOP)IrH2] [CH2(OSiMe3)2(SiMe3)]+, and [(POCOP)IrH2] [CH3O(SiMe3)2]+, respectively, followed by the hydride transfer process. The rate-limiting steps of the three reducing stages are calculated to possess free energy barriers of 12.2, 16.4 and 22.9 kcal mol-1, respectively. Furthermore, our study indicates that the natural iridium dihydride [(POCOP)IrH2] generated along the ionic SN2 outer-sphere pathway could greatly facilitate the silylation of CO2, with a potential energy barrier calculated at a low value of 16.7 kcal mol-1.

Direct CO2 Addition to a Ni(0)-CO Species Allows the Selective Generation of a Nickel(II) Carboxylate with Expulsion of CO

Addition of CO₂ to a low-valent nickel species has been explored with a newly designed ^acriPNP pincer ligand (^acriPNP^- = 4,5-bis(diisopropylphosphino)-2,7,9,9-tetramethyl-9H-acridin-10-ide). This is a crucial step in understanding biological CO₂ conversion to CO found in carbon monoxide dehydrogenase (CODH). A four-coordinate nickel(0) state was reliably accessed in the presence of a CO ligand, which can be prepared from a stepwise reduction of a cationic {(^acriPNP)Ni(II)-CO}⁺ species. All three Ni(II), Ni(I), and Ni(0) monocarbonyl species were cleanly isolated and spectroscopically characterized. Addition of electrons to the nickel(II) species significantly alters its geometry from square planar toward tetrahedral because of the filling of the d_x²-y² orbital. Accordingly, the CO ligand position changes from equatorial to axial, ∠N-Ni-C of 176.2(2)° to 129.1(4)°, allowing opening of a CO₂ binding site. Upon addition of CO₂ to a nickel(0)-CO species, a nickel(II) carboxylate species with a Ni(η¹-CO₂-κC) moiety was formed and isolated (75%). This reaction occurs with the concomitant expulsion of CO(g). This is a unique result markedly different from our previous report involving the flexible analogous PNP ligand, which revealed the formation of multiple products including a tetrameric cluster from the reaction with CO₂. Finally, the carbon dioxide conversion to CO at a single nickel center is modeled by the successful isolation of all relevant intermediates, such as Ni-CO₂, Ni-COOH, and Ni-CO.

Scalable Synthesis of Hydrido-Disiloxanes from Silanes: A One-Pot Preparation of 1,3-Diphenyldisiloxane from Phenylsilane

A simple, one-pot, and high-yielding synthesis of 1,3-diphenyldisiloxane is presented. The preparation of similar symmetrical disiloxane materials is also accomplished with this same protocol. This mechano-chemical procedure is efficient and highly scalable, furnishing a convenient route to hydrido-disiloxanes from widely accessible commercially available silanes.

Thermodynamic and kinetic hydricities of metal-free hydrides

Thermodynamic and kinetic hydricities provide useful guidelines for the design of hydride donors with desirable properties for catalytic chemical reductions.

A new anthraquinoid ligand for the iron-catalyzed hydrosilylation of carbonyl compounds at room temperature: new insights and kinetics

The synthesis and characterization of a highly active Fe(ii) catalyst for the hydrosilylation of aldehydes and ketones have been described.

Design of a catalyst through Fe doping of the boron cage B10H14 for CO2 hydrogenation and investigation of the catalytic character of iron hydride (Fe-H)

The innovative catalyst Fe@B₁₀H₁₄ is designed through Fe doping of the boron cage B₁₀H₁₄ and is employed to catalyze CO₂ hydrogenation using a quantum mechanical method. First, the structure of the Fe@B₁₀H₁₄ complex is characterized through calculated ¹¹B NMR chemical shifts and Raman spectra, and the interactions between Fe and the four H atoms of the opening in the cage are analyzed, which show that various iron hydride (Fe-H) characteristics exist. Subsequently, the potential of Fe@B₁₀H₁₄ as a catalyst for the hydrogenative reduction of CO₂ in the gas phase is computationally evaluated. We find that an equivalent of Fe@B₁₀H₁₄ can consecutively reduce double CO₂ to obtain the double product HCOOH through a two-step reduction, and Fe@B₁₀H₁₂ and Fe@B₁₀H₁₀ are successively obtained. The Fe presents single-atom character in the reduction of CO₂, which is different from the common iron(ii) catalyzed CO₂ reduction. The calculated total free energy barrier of the first CO₂ reduction is only 8.79 kcal mol^-1, and that of the second CO₂ reduction is 25.71 kcal mol^-1. Every reduction reaction undergoes two key transition states TSC-H and TSO-H. Moreover, the transition state of the C-H bond formation TSC-H is the rate-determining step, where the interaction between π_{C[double bond, length as m-dash]O}* and the weak σ_Fe-H bond plays an important role. Furthermore, the hydrogenations of Fe@B₁₀H₁₂ and Fe@B₁₀H₁₀ are investigated, which aim at determining the ability of Fe-H circulation in the Fe doped decaborane complex. We find that the hydrogenation of Fe@B₁₀H₁₀ undergoes a one-step H₂-adsorbed transition state TSH-adsorb with an energy barrier of 6.42 kcal mol^-1 from Fe@B₁₀H₁₂. Comparing with the hydrogenation of Fe@B₁₀H₁₀, it is slightly more difficult for the hydrogenation of Fe@B₁₀H₁₂, where the rate-determining step is the H₂-cleaved transition state TS2H-H with an energy barrier of 17.38 kcal mol^-1.

Formylation or methylation: what determines the chemoselectivity of the reaction of amine, CO2, and hydrosilane catalyzed by 1,3,2-diazaphospholene?

DFT computations have been performed to gain insight into the mechanisms of formylation/methylation of amines (e.g. methylaniline (1a)/2,2,4,4-tetramethylpiperidine (2a)) with CO2 and hydrosilane ([Si]H2, [Si] = Ph2Si), catalyzed by 1,3,2-diazaphospholene ([NHP]H). Different from the generally proposed sequential mechanism for the methylation of amine with CO2, i.e. methylation proceeds via formylation, followed by further reduction of formamide to give an N-methylated amine, the study characterized a competition mechanism between formylation and methylation. The chemoselectivity originates from the competition between the amine and [NHP]H hydride to attack the formyloxy carbon of [Si](OCHO)2 (the insertion product of CO2 into [Si]H2). When the attack of an amine (e.g.1a) wins, the transformation affords formamide (1b) but would otherwise (e.g.2a) result in an N-methylated amine (2c). The reduction of formamide by [Si]H2 or [NHP]H is highly unfavorable kinetically, thus we call attention to the sequential mechanism for understanding the methylation of amine with CO2. In addition, the study has the following key mechanistic findings. The activation of CO2 by [NHP]H establishes an equilibrium: [NHP]H + CO2 ⇄ [NHP]OCHO ⇄ [NHP]+ + HCO2-. The ions play catalytic roles to promote formylation via HCO2- or methylation via[NHP]+ . In 1a formylation, HCO2- initiates the reaction, giving 1b and silanol byproducts. However, after the initiation, the silanol byproducts acting as hydrogen transfer shuttles are more effective than HCO2- to promote formylation. In 2a methylation, [NHP]+ promotes the generation of the key species, formaldehyde and a carbocation species (IM17+ ). Our experimental study corroborates our computed mechanisms.

CO-Reduction Chemistry: Reaction of a CO-Derived Formylhydridoborate with Carbon Monoxide, with Carbon Dioxide, and with Dihydrogen

Treatment of the bulky metallocene hydride Cp*₂Zr(H)OMes (Cp* = pentamethylcyclopentadienyl, Mes = mesityl) with Piers' borane [HB(C₆F₅)₂] and carbon monoxide (CO) gave the formylhydridoborate complex [Zr]-O═CH-BH(C₆F₅)₂ ([Zr] = Cp*₂Zr-OMes). From the dynamic NMR behavior, its endergonic equilibration with the [Zr]-O-CH₂-B(C₆F₅)₂ isomer was deduced, which showed typical reactions of an oxygen/boron frustrated Lewis pair. It was trapped with CO to give an O-[Zr] bonded borata-β-lactone. Trapping with carbon dioxide (CO₂) gave the respective O-[Zr] bonded cyclic boratacarbonate product. These reaction pathways were analyzed by density functional theory calculation. The formylhydridoborate complex was further reduced by dihydrogen via two steps; it reacted rapidly with H₂ to give Cp*₂Zr(OH)OMes and H₃C-B(C₆F₅)₂, which then slowly reacted further with H₂ to eventually give [Zr]-O(H)-B(H)(C₆F₅)₂ and methane (CH₄). Most complexes were characterized by X-ray diffraction.

Reduction of carbon dioxide and organic carbonyls by hydrosilanes catalysed by the perrhenate anion

A simple quaternary ammonium perrhenate salt catalyses the hydrosilylation of aldehydes, ketones, and carbon dioxide, and the methylation of amines using carbon dioxide. DFT calculations show that a perrhenate hypervalent silicate interacts directly with CO₂.

Metal-Catalyzed Carboxylation of Organic (Pseudo)halides with CO2

The recent years have witnessed the development of metal-catalyzed reductive carboxylation of organic (pseudo)halides with CO₂ as C1 source, representing potential powerful alternatives to existing methodologies for preparing carboxylic acids, privileged motifs in a myriad of pharmaceuticals and molecules displaying significant biological properties. While originally visualized as exotic cross-coupling reactions, a close look into the literature data indicates that these processes have become a fertile ground, allowing for the utilization of a variety of coupling partners, even with particularly challenging substrate combinations. As for other related cross-electrophile scenarios, the vast majority of reductive carboxylation of organic (pseudo)halides are characterized by their simplicity, mild conditions, and a broad functional group compatibility, suggesting that these processes could be implemented in late-stage diversification. This perspective describes the evolution of metal-catalyzed reductive carboxylation of organic (pseudo)halides from its inception in the pioneering stoichiometric work of Osakada to the present. Specific emphasis is devoted to the reactivity of these coupling processes, with substrates ranging from aryl-, vinyl-, benzyl- to unactivated alkyl (pseudo)halides. Despite the impressive advances realized, a comprehensive study detailing the mechanistic intricacies of these processes is still lacking. Some recent empirical evidence reveal an intriguing dichotomy exerted by the substitution pattern on the ligands utilized; still, however, some elementary steps within the catalytic cycle of these reactions remain speculative, in many instances invoking a canonical cross-coupling process. Although tentative, we anticipate that these processes might fall into more than one distinct mechanistic category depending on the substrate utilized, suggesting that investigations aimed at unraveling the mechanistic underpinnings of these processes will likely bring new and innovative research grounds in this vibrant area of expertise.

Heterogeneous reduction of carbon dioxide by hydride-terminated silicon nanocrystals

Silicon constitutes 28% of the earth's mass. Its high abundance, lack of toxicity and low cost coupled with its electrical and optical properties, make silicon unique among the semiconductors for converting sunlight into electricity. In the quest for semiconductors that can make chemicals and fuels from sunlight and carbon dioxide, unfortunately the best performers are invariably made from rare and expensive elements. Here we report the observation that hydride-terminated silicon nanocrystals with average diameter 3.5 nm, denoted ncSi:H, can function as a single component heterogeneous reducing agent for converting gaseous carbon dioxide selectively to carbon monoxide, at a rate of hundreds of μmol h⁻¹ g⁻¹. The large surface area, broadband visible to near infrared light harvesting and reducing power of SiH surface sites of ncSi:H, together play key roles in this conversion. Making use of the reducing power of nanostructured hydrides towards gaseous carbon dioxide is a conceptually distinct and commercially interesting strategy for making fuels directly from sunlight.

Elemental silicon is widely studied for photovoltaic applications. Here, the authors report that hydride-terminated silicon nanocrystals can also function as single component heterogeneous reducing agent for converting gaseous carbon dioxide selectively to carbon monoxide.

Disiloxane Synthesis Based on Silicon-Hydrogen Bond Activation using Gold and Platinum on Carbon in Water or Heavy Water

Disiloxanes possessing a silicon-oxygen linkage are important as frameworks for functional materials and coupling partners for Hiyama-type cross coupling. We found that disiloxanes were effectively constructed of hydrosilanes catalyzed by gold on carbon in water as the solvent and oxidant in association with the emission of hydrogen gas at room temperature. The present oxidation could proceed via various reaction pathways, such as the hydration of hydrosilane into silanol, dehydrogenative coupling of hydrosilane into disilane, and the subsequent corresponding reactions to disiloxane. Additionally, the platinum on carbon catalyzed hydrogen-deuterium exchange reaction of arylhydrosilanes as substrates in heavy water proceeded on the aromatic nuclei at 80 °C with high deuterium efficiency and high regioselectivity at the only meta and para positions of the aromatic-silicon bond to give the deuterium-labeled disiloxanes.

Selective Metal-Free Hydrosilylation of CO2 Catalyzed by Triphenylborane in Highly Polar, Aprotic Solvents

Triphenylborane (BPh3 ) in highly polar, aprotic solvents catalyzes hydrosilylation of CO2 effectively under mild conditions to provide silyl formates with high chemoselectivity (>95 %) and without over-reduction. This system also promotes reductive hydrosilylation of tertiary amides as well as dehydrogenative coupling of silane with alcohols.

Hydrodealkoxylation reactions of silyl ligands at platinum: reactivity of SiH₃ and SiH₂Me complexes

The platinum(ii) complex [Pt(H)2(dcpe)] (; dcpe = 1,2-bis(dicyclohexylphosphino)ethane) reacts with an excess of the dialkoxymethylsilanes (HSiMe(OR)2; R = Me, Et) to give the bis(silyl) complex [Pt(SiH2Me)2(dcpe)] () and trialkoxymethylsilanes by hydrodealkoxylation reactions. These rearrangements of the silyl ligands involve Si-O bond activations. The exchange of the alkoxy moieties against silicon-bound hydrogen atoms occurs stepwise. The intermediate complexes [Pt(H){SiMe(OEt)2}(dcpe)] (), [Pt{SiMe(OEt)2}2(dcpe)] (), [Pt{SiHMe(OEt)}2(dcpe)] () and [Pt{SiHMe(OMe)}2(dcpe)] () were detected. Treatment of the complex with an excess of dichloromethylsilane yields the bis(silyl) complex [Pt(SiMeCl2)2(dcpe)] (). The hydrido silyl complex [Pt(H)(SiMeCl2)(dcpe)] () was identified as an intermediate. The reactions of the complexes [Pt(SiH3)2(dcpe)] () and [Pt(SiH2Me)2(dcpe)] () with iodomethane lead to a transfer of the SiH3 and SiH2Me ligands. Methylsilane and dimethylsilane, respectively, as well as the platinum diiodo complex [Pt(I)2(dcpe)] () were identified as main products.

Selective reduction of carbon dioxide to bis(silyl)acetal catalyzed by a PBP-supported nickel complex

The selective reduction of CO₂ to the formaldehyde level remains an important challenge and to date only a few catalysts have been developed for this reaction.

Copper-catalyzed N-formylation of amines with CO2 under ambient conditions

N-Formylation of amines with CO₂ and PhSiH₃ catalyzed by a copper complex.

Tuning the activity and selectivity of iridium-NSiN catalyzed CO2 hydrosilylation processes

Catalyst design for iridium-catalyzed CO₂ hydrosilylation processes: improvement of the selectivity and reduction of the reaction time.