The pathways for the CO2 absorption and desorption in an aqueous solution of a heavily hindered alkanolamine, 2-(t-butylamino)ethanol (TBAE) were elucidated by X-ray crystallographic and 13C NMR spectroscopic analysis. In the early stage of the CO2 absorption, the formation of carbonate species ([TBAEH]2CO3) was predominant along with the generation of small amounts of zwitterionic species. With the progress of the absorption, the carbonate species was rapidly transformed into bicarbonate species ([TBAEH]HCO3), and the amounts of the zwitterionic species increased gradually. During desorption at elevated temperature in the absence of CO2, [TBAEH]HCO3 was found to transform into [TBAEH]2CO3, where CO32- strongly interacts with two [TBAEH]+ via hydrogen bondings.

Isolation and structural characterization of bicarbonate and carbonate species formed during CO2 absorption/desorption

249th National Meeting (2015)

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