Design of gold catalysts for activation of H2 and H-donor molecules: transfer hydrogenation and CO2 hydrogenation

Abstract

Catalytic activation of dihydrogen (H₂) on metal surfaces allowed the development of very important industrial hydrogenation processes and plays also an important role in the context of carbon dioxide capture and utilization. Although bulk gold was not considered in the development of the first catalysts for this purpose, due to its known inertia towards H₂ dissociation, this scenario changed with the development of nanocatalysts and the discovery of other possible H₂ activation mechanisms at gold–support and gold–ligand interfaces. In this review, we will discuss the strategies used in gold catalysis to unlock the activation of H₂ for hydrogenation and H-donor molecules other than H₂ for transfer hydrogenation. We will illustrate the high chemoselectivity of gold compared to other platinum-group metals. Finally, we will highlight the application and perspectives of gold catalysis in the field of carbon dioxide hydrogenation, which holds promise for generating valuable chemicals.