Two Carbon Dioxide Molecules Consecutively Reduced by Metal-Free B₂O₂^- Anions

TY - JOUR

T1 - Two Carbon Dioxide Molecules Consecutively Reduced by Metal-Free B2O2- Anions

AU - Chen, Zhi Ying

AU - Wang, Ming

AU - Ding, Yong Qi

AU - Ma, Jia Bi

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2023 American Chemical Society

PY - 2023/4/13

Y1 - 2023/4/13

N2 - Compared with transition metals, nonmetallic elements have always been considered to have low reactivity toward carbon dioxide. However, in recent years, main-group compounds such as boron-based species have gradually attracted increasing attention due to their prospective applications in different kinds of reactions. Herein, we report that metal-free anions B2O2- can promote two CO2 reductions, producing the oxygen-rich product B2O4-. In most of the reported CO2 reduction reactions mediated by transition-metal-containing clusters, transition metals usually provide electrons for the activation of CO2; one oxygen atom in CO2 is transferred to metal atoms, and CO is released from the metal atoms. In sharp contrast, B atoms are electron donors in the current systems and the formed CO is liberated directly from the activated CO2 unit. The synthesis of novel-metal-free gas-phase clusters and investigation of their reactivity toward carbon dioxide as well as reaction mechanisms can provide a fundamental basis in practice for the rational design of active sites on metal-free catalysts.

AB - Compared with transition metals, nonmetallic elements have always been considered to have low reactivity toward carbon dioxide. However, in recent years, main-group compounds such as boron-based species have gradually attracted increasing attention due to their prospective applications in different kinds of reactions. Herein, we report that metal-free anions B2O2- can promote two CO2 reductions, producing the oxygen-rich product B2O4-. In most of the reported CO2 reduction reactions mediated by transition-metal-containing clusters, transition metals usually provide electrons for the activation of CO2; one oxygen atom in CO2 is transferred to metal atoms, and CO is released from the metal atoms. In sharp contrast, B atoms are electron donors in the current systems and the formed CO is liberated directly from the activated CO2 unit. The synthesis of novel-metal-free gas-phase clusters and investigation of their reactivity toward carbon dioxide as well as reaction mechanisms can provide a fundamental basis in practice for the rational design of active sites on metal-free catalysts.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85152202224

U2 - 10.1021/acs.jpca.2c08488

DO - 10.1021/acs.jpca.2c08488

M3 - Article

C2 - 37014705

AN - SCOPUS:85152202224

SN - 1089-5639

VL - 127

SP - 3082

EP - 3087

JO - Journal of Physical Chemistry A

JF - Journal of Physical Chemistry A

IS - 14

ER -