Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 21, 2026

Versatile CO2 Transformations into Complex Products: A One-pot Two-step Strategy
Published on: November 9, 2019
Synthesis of acetic acid via methanol hydrocarboxylation with CO2 and H2
Qingli Qian1, Jingjing Zhang1, Meng Cui1
1Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Colloid, Interface and Chemical Thermodynamics, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
Abstract:
Acetic acid is an important bulk chemical that is currently produced via methanol carbonylation using fossil based CO. Synthesis of acetic acid from the renewable and cheap CO2 is of great importance, but state of the art routes encounter difficulties, especially in reaction selectivity and activity. Here we report a route to produce acetic acid from CO2, methanol and H2. The reaction can be efficiently catalysed by Ru-Rh bimetallic catalyst using imidazole as the ligand and LiI as the promoter in 1,3-dimethyl-2-imidazolidinone (DMI) solvent. It is confirmed that methanol is hydrocarboxylated into acetic acid by CO2 and H2, which accounts for the outstanding reaction results. The reaction mechanism is proposed based on the control experiments. The strategy opens a new way for acetic acid production and CO2 transformation, and represents a significant progress in synthetic chemistry.
Related Concept Videos
Alkylation of β-Ketoester Enolates: Acetoacetic Ester Synthesis
Alkylation of β-Diester Enolates: Malonic Ester Synthesis
Esters to Carboxylic Acids: Acid-Catalyzed Hydrolysis
During hydrolysis, the ester is first activated towards nucleophilic attack through the protonation of the carboxyl oxygen atom by the acid catalyst. The protonation makes the ester carbonyl carbon more electrophilic. In the next step, water acts as a nucleophile and adds to the...
Loss of Carboxy Group as CO2: Decarboxylation of Malonic Acid Derivatives
Preparation of Carboxylic Acids: Overview
α-Hydroxy Ketones via Reductive Coupling of Esters: Acyloin Condensation Overview

