Low‐Temperature Hydrogenation of Carbon Dioxide to Methanol with a Homogeneous Cobalt Catalyst

Abstract

Herein we describe the first homogeneous non-noble metal catalyst for the hydrogenation of CO₂ to methanol. The catalyst is formed in situ from [Co(acac)₃ ], Triphos, and HNTf₂ and enables the reaction to be performed at 100 °C without a decrease in activity. Kinetic studies suggest an inner-sphere mechanism, and in situ NMR and MS experiments reveal the formation of the active catalyst through slow removal of the acetylacetonate ligands.