Issue 3, 2023

Multiple C–C bond formation upon electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 by an iron-based molecular macrocycle

Abstract

Molecular macrocycles are very promising electrocatalysts for the reduction of carbon dioxide into value-added chemicals. Up to now, most of these catalysts produced only C1 products. We report here that iron phthalocyanine, a commercially available molecule based on earth-abundant elements, can produce light hydrocarbons upon electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 in aqueous conditions and neutral pH. Under applied electrochemical potential, C1 to C4 saturated and unsaturated products are evolved. Isotopic labelling experiments unambiguously show that these products stem from CO2. Control experiments and in situ X-ray spectroscopic analysis show that the molecular catalyst remains intact during catalysis and is responsible for the reaction. On the basis of experiments with alternate substrates, a mechanism is proposed for the C–C bond formation step.

Graphical abstract: Multiple C–C bond formation upon electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 by an iron-based molecular macrocycle

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Edge Article
Submitted
24 aug 2022
Accepted
14 dec 2022
First published
15 dec 2022
This article is Open Access

All publication charges for this article have been paid for by the Royal Society of Chemistry
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Chem. Sci., 2023,14, 550-556

Multiple C–C bond formation upon electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 by an iron-based molecular macrocycle

S. Dong, C. Xu and B. Lassalle-Kaiser, Chem. Sci., 2023, 14, 550 DOI: 10.1039/D2SC04729B

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