Conversion of carbon dioxide into methanol with silanes over n-heterocyclic carbene catalysts

Abstract

Activate and reduce: Carbon dioxide was reduced with silane using a stable N-heterocyclic carbene organocatalyst to provide methanol under very mild conditions. Dry air can serve as the feedstock, and the organocatalyst is much more efficient than transition-metal catalysts for this reaction. This approach offers a very promising protocol for chemical CO 2 activation and fixation. © 2009 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.