Catalytic reduction of carbon dioxide by a zinc hydride compound, [Tptm]ZnH, and conversion to the methanol level

Abstract

The zinc hydride compound, [Tptm]ZnH, may achieve the reduction of CO₂ by (RO)₃SiH (R = Me, Et) to the methanol oxidation level, (MeO)_xSi(OR)_4−x, via the formate species, HCO₂Si(OR)₃. However, because insertion of CO₂ into the Zn–H bond is more facile than insertion of HCO₂Si(OR)₃, conversion of HCO₂Si(OR)₃ to the methanol level only occurs to a significant extent in the absence of CO₂.