Carbon OXides SEquenatial CATalysis (COXSECAT)
The COXSECAT (Carbon OXides SEquenatial CATalysis) project is aimed at developing innovative catalytic systems (homogeneous and heterogeneous) and conditions for realizing an efficient indirect chemical valorization of carbon dioxide, through the catalytic reduction of CO2 with hydrogen to give carbon monoxide followed by in situ sequential catalytic carbonylation of readily available organic substrates by CO fixation to give high value added carbonylated scaffolds.
The rapid industrialization of society and population expansion has led, during the past half century, to a huge consumption of fossil fuels, with a significant over-release of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. This, in turn, has led to sensible global warming, with serious environmental consequences. Accordingly, huge efforts are currently devoted to CO2 capture and storage (CCS). A very attractive way for “environmental decarbonization” is based on CO2 conversion into more reactive carbon species, such as fuels or carbon monoxide (CO). The project will study the possibility to combine in one synthetic step the catalytic reduction of CO2 to CO and the subsequent conversion of CO into high value added organic compounds (such as esters, thioesters, amides, and functionalized heterocycles), by in situ catalytic carbonylation of simple organic substrates (such as organic halides or alkynes). COXSECAT is therefore aimed at achieving a major scientific advancement that encompasses organic synthesis and catalysis with evident environmental and socioeconomic benefits. The innovative catalytic systems developed in the project and able to promote the sequential catalytic process will be based on transition metals (palladium, in particular, for in situ carbonylation) in conjunction with rhodium-, ruthenium-, or less expensive first row transition metals under either homogeneous or heterogeneous conditions. The project is also aimed at the valorization of CO and/or CO2 through their catalytic conversion into high value added compounds.
