Converting CO2 into value-added products such as formate offers one possibility to reduce our carbon-based fuel emissions. These products are often produced in competition with the reduction of H+ to H2 gas, and achieving high product selectivity remains challenging. A better understanding of how basic thermodynamic properties and catalyst functionalization may favor one product completely will help us target one desired product. The iron carbonyl cluster [Fe4N(CO)12]- electrocatalytically efficiently converts CO2 to formate at -1.2 V vs SCE in 95:5 MeCN/H2O, or in pH7 buffered water, and produces no H2. Here, we report on the thermodynamic and kinetic properties of several new iron carbonyl catalysts in this family, and discuss how these properties influence selectivity for formate or H2 production.

Selective H2 or formate production from CO2 and water: Mechanistic insights achieved from ligand design

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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