Hydrogenation of CO2 using bifunctional transition metal catalysts containing hydride-relay ligands

• In Event: Poster Presentation and Judging for: Biomedical; Cell & Molecular Biology; Chemistry & Biochemistry; Marine Science; Systematics & Evolutionary Biology.
  In Poster Session: Chemistry & Biochemistry Poster Session

Abstract

Development of efficient homogeneous catalysts for the hydrogenation of CO2 to carbon-based fuels and feedstock that operate at low temperature and pressure is the primary goal of this research. The catalysts used are bifunctional transition metal complexes that contain organic groups capable of accepting or donating hydride ions which we term as “hydride-relays”. The relay is tethered to a phosphine donor that can bind to a metal center. The metal and relay can thus work cooperatively to activate H2 forming an acidic M-H bond and a ligand based C-H bond, and then reduce a metal-bound substrate like CO2 through hydride and proton transfer. These hydride relays are designed to minimize kinetic and thermodynamic barriers for H2 activation and substrate reduction. To achieve this design, a series of these complexes has been synthesized and characterized based on a simple and modular synthetic framework, in which a series of organic hydride donors, namely phenanthridinium and substituted benzimidazolium groups, are tethered to a phosphine donor. The synthesis of transition metal complexes in which these ligands are combined with phosphine complexes of Ni, Pd, Rh and Ru, will be presented, as well as catalytic hydrogenation activity of these complexes towards CO2.

Authors

• Nilakshi Devi, Ms.

• Christopher M Zall, Dr.