Catalytic Degradation of Sulfur Hexafluoride by Rhodium Complexes

The development of a safe and efficient method for the degradation of SF 6 is of current environmental interest, because SF 6 is one of the most potent greenhouse gases. SF 6 is thermally and chemically extremely inert, and therefore, it has been used in various industrial applications. However, this inertness results in a major challenge for its depletion. We report on a process for a catalytic degradation of SF 6 in the homogeneous phase by using rhodium complexes as precatalysts. The SF 6 activation reactions feature mild reaction conditions, low catalyst loadings, and a high selectivity. The employment of phosphines and hydrosilanes for scavenging the sulfur and fluorine atoms of the SF 6 molecule allows the selective transformation of SF 6 into nongaseous and nontoxic compounds.