Heterogeneous Frustrated Lewis Pairs for Catalytic Hydrogenation of CO2.

Project: Research

Project Details

Description

Hydrogenation reactions are among the most useful chemical transformations in industrial processes, with applications in materials sciences, pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries. Nearly one hundred years after the discovery of hydrogenation reactions catalyzed by transition-metals, the activation of H2 by Frustrated Lewis Pairs, constituted of main-group Lewis acids and bases, has been a breakthrough in homogenous catalysis. Although a large number of catalytic transformations involving FLPs have been reported under homogenous conditions, very few examples of H2 and CO2 activation by supported or partially supported FLPs are known, and only a couples of applications in catalytic hydrogenations have been reported up to date.

The goal of this project is to develop a series of boron Lewis acid grafted on amorphous silica and employ them as a “heterogenous boron Lewis acid platform” in order to develop new type of solid-state FLPs for activating dihydrogen. Combination of the supported boron Lewis acid and very bulky Lewis bases is an understudied area of research and the ultimate goal of our project is to perform the catalytic hydrogenation of CO2. The transition metal-free hydrogenation of carbon dioxide is an important challenge both in homogenous and heterogenous catalysis.

If successful, this strategy will eventually lead to the discovery of a new heterogenous catalytic method for the conversion of abundant resources (H2, CO2) in valuable liquids products or fuels in a sustainable and cost-effective way and without using metals or transition metals.
StatusFinished
Effective start/end date1/10/2030/09/21

Attachment to an Research Institute in UNAMUR

  • NISM

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