Made out of thin air: Fixation of CO2 through iridium catalyzed hydrosilylation
Wednesday, October 3, 2012 - 06:30
in Physics & Chemistry
(Phys.org)—Carbon dioxide could be a useful alternative source of carbon for the chemical industry. It is inexpensive, is supplied in abundance by nature, and would help to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels. In addition, it would significantly improve the carbon footprint of fuels and chemical products. The largest barrier to this process is the high stability of the carbon dioxide molecule. In the journal Angewandte Chemie, Spanish researchers have now introduced a new process that traps carbon dioxide in the form of silyl formates, which are silicon-containing formic acid esters.