NiCO2Cat · Cooperative Nickel Catalysts for CO2 Hydrogenation to Value-Added Products

Catalytic hydrogenation of CO2 using H2 produced with renewable energy is a promising approach for the sustainable production of value-added chemicals such as formic acid or methanol. Molecular catalysts based on transition metals have demonstrated potential for selective CO2 hydrogenation reactions. However, most efficient catalysts for methanol production are based on scarce metals such as ruthenium. The proposed research aims towards the development of an efficient, cost-effective, potentially scalable nickel-based catalytic system for CO2 reduction with molecular hydrogen to produce industrially relevant compounds such as formic acid/methanol. To this end, I will develop nickel/olefin pincer complexes, which have recently been shown to activate H2 via a new cooperative mechanism and are therefore strong candidates for CO2 hydrogenation. The new complexes will be evaluated for their catalytic performance by using various instrumentation techniques. Experiments supported by theoretical DFT calculations will shed light on the mechanism of the reaction. A successful project will afford both new, efficient catalysts for CO2 hydrogenation based on the earth-abundant element nickel and mechanistic understanding to guide further developments on the longer term.