The collaboration among academia and industry yielded a bimetallic catalyst that replaces toxic carbon monoxide with carbon dioxide and green hydrogen in carbonylation reactions.
Researchers from an Evonik subsidiary and university partners in Germany have generation a catalyst system that allows carbon dioxide to function a raw material for manufacturing industrial chemicals which includes fragrances and plastic precursors. The study, posted Aug. 28 within the Journal of the American Chemical Society, shows a capacity route closer to more sustainable chemical production.
The studies group covered scientists from Leibniz Institute for Catalysis (LIKAT), Ruhr University Bochum, and Evonik Oxeno. The group’s bimetallic catalyst combines iridium and palladium with an industrial phosphine ligand to drive carbonylation reactions that traditionally depend on carbon monoxide.
In this procedure, olefins are transformed into esters using carbon dioxide and green hydrogen, removing away with the need for toxic feedstocks. The system also show high selectivity for linear products, that are valued in both bulk and specialty chemical manufacturing.
The researchers stated the innovation denotes a step towards defossilizing the chemical industry via turning carbon dioxide from a waste gas into a usable resource. The collaboration between academic and industial partners emphasizes how carried out catalysis research can develop low-carbon chemical approaches, according to the team.
