Hydrogenation of CO₂‐Derived Carbonates and Polycarbonates to Methanol and Diols by Metal–Ligand Cooperative Manganese Catalysis

Abstract

Abstract The first base‐metal‐catalysed hydrogenation of CO 2 ‐derived carbonates to alcohols is presented. The reaction proceeds under mild conditions in the presence of a well‐defined manganese complex with a loading as low as 0.25 mol %. The non‐precious‐metal homogenous catalytic system provides an indirect route for the conversion of CO 2 into methanol with the co‐production of value‐added (vicinal) diols in yields of up to 99 %. Experimental and computational studies indicate a metal–ligand cooperative catalysis mechanism.