Steering CO2 hydrogenation toward C–C coupling to hydrocarbons using porous organic polymer/ metal interfaces

Abstract

The conversion of CO2 into fuels and chemicals is an attractive option for mitigating CO2 emissions. Controlling the selectivity of this process is beneficial to produce desirable liquid fuels, but C–C coupling is a limiting step in the reaction that requires high pressures. Here, we propose a strategy to favor C–C coupling on a supported Ru/TiO2 catalyst by encapsulating it within the polymer layers of an imine-based porous organic polymer that controls its selectivity. Such polymer confinement modifies the CO2 hydrogenation behavior of the Ru surface, significantly enhancing the C2+ production turnover frequency by 10-fold. We demonstrate that the polymer layers affect the adsorption of reactants and intermediates while being stable under the demanding reaction conditions. Our findings highlight the promising opportunity of using polymer/metal interfaces for the rational engineering of active sites and as a general tool for controlling selective transformations in supported catalyst systems.