Cobalt catalysed reduction of CO2via hydroboration

Abstract

We report an operationally convenient reduction of CO₂ to methanol via cobalt catalysed hydroboration which occurs under mild reaction conditions. Addition of NaHBEt₃ to Co(acac)₃ generates an active hydroboration catalyst, which is proposed to be a “Co–H” species on the basis of infrared spectroscopy. The reduction of CO₂ in the presence of various boranes showed that BH₃·SMe₂ afforded near quantitative conversion (98% NMR yield) to methanol upon hydrolysis.