Mechanistic studies of CO2 reduction to methanol mediated by an N-heterocyclic germylene hydride†
Abstract
The labile germylene hydride LCyGeH is capable of activating CO2 affording the corresponding formate LCyGeOCH(O) (2) (LCy = cyclo-C6H8-1-NAr-2-C(Ph)NAr, Ar = 2,6-iPr2C6H3). Compound 2 and the previously reported LGeOCH(O) (L = CH(MeCNAr)2, Ar = 2,6-iPr2C6H3) (2′) could be further converted to methanol with the AlH3·NMe3 alane-amine adduct as a hydrogen source upon workup with water. A plausible mechanism for the conversion of the formate complexes to methanol is proposed based on additional results from the conversion of 2′ with the milder hydride delivery agent LAlH2.