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Reduction of Carbon Dioxide to Formate at Low Overpotential Using a Superbase Ionic Liquid
Author(s) -
Hollingsworth Nathan,
Taylor S. F. Rebecca,
Galante Miguel T.,
Jacquemin Johan,
Longo Claudia,
Holt Katherine B.,
de Leeuw Nora H.,
Hardacre Christopher
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
angewandte chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1521-3757
pISSN - 0044-8249
DOI - 10.1002/ange.201507629
Subject(s) - ionic liquid , formate , overpotential , chemistry , inorganic chemistry , phosphonium , electrochemistry , chemisorption , solvent , ionic bonding , pyridinium , ion , organic chemistry , catalysis , electrode
A new low‐energy pathway is reported for the electrochemical reduction of CO 2 to formate and syngas at low overpotentials, utilizing a reactive ionic liquid as the solvent. The superbasic tetraalkyl phosphonium ionic liquid [P 66614 ][124Triz] is able to chemisorb CO 2 through equimolar binding of CO 2 with the 1,2,4‐triazole anion. This chemisorbed CO 2 can be reduced at silver electrodes at overpotentials as low as 0.17 V, forming formate. In contrast, physically absorbed CO 2 within the same ionic liquid or in ionic liquids where chemisorption is impossible (such as [P 66614 ][NTf 2 ]) undergoes reduction at significantly increased overpotentials, producing only CO as the product.