Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 5, 2025

Achieving Moderate Pressures in Sealed Vessels Using Dry Ice As a Solid CO2 Source
Published on: August 17, 2018
Carbon Monoxide in Main-Group Chemistry
Shiori Fujimori1, Shigeyoshi Inoue1
1Department of Chemistry, WACKER-Institute of Silicon Chemistry and Catalysis Research Center, Technische Universität München, Lichtenbergstraße 4, 85748 Garching bei München, Germany.
Main-group elements like silicon and aluminum are emerging as eco-friendly alternatives to transition metals for carbon monoxide (CO) activation, enabling new catalytic pathways and CO utilization strategies.
Area of Science:
- Main-group chemistry
- Organometallic chemistry
- Catalysis
Background:
- Carbon monoxide (CO) is a vital C1 feedstock for industrial carbonylation processes.
- Transition-metal carbonyl complexes have historically dominated CO activation and catalysis.
- Increasing focus on sustainable chemistry drives research into eco-friendly alternatives.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight recent advances in main-group element chemistry for carbon monoxide activation.
- To showcase the potential of abundant, low-toxicity main-group elements in catalysis.
- To explore novel reactivity patterns of main-group compounds with CO.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent literature on main-group element interactions with CO.
- Analysis of reaction mechanisms involving CO activation by main-group compounds.
- Comparison of main-group element reactivity with transition metals.
Main Results:
- Main-group compounds, particularly silicon and aluminum, demonstrate significant CO activation capabilities.
- Formation of main-group carbonyl complexes and CO insertion into main-group element centers observed.
- Reductive homologation of CO by main-group elements presents new synthetic routes.
Conclusions:
- Main-group element chemistry offers a sustainable and promising avenue for CO activation and utilization.
- These findings challenge the historical dominance of transition metals in CO-related catalysis.
- Further exploration of main-group compounds could lead to innovative catalytic processes.
More Related Videos
07:36Versatile CO2 Transformations into Complex Products: A One-pot Two-step Strategy
Published on: November 9, 2019
11:38In situ FTIR Spectroscopy as a Tool for Investigation of Gas/Solid Interaction: Water-Enhanced CO2 Adsorption in UiO-66 Metal-Organic Framework
Published on: February 1, 2020
Related Concept Videos
Properties of Organometallic Compounds
Carbon-13 (¹³C) NMR: Overview
Covalent Bonding and Lewis Structures
Organic Compounds
Functional Groups
Carbon Skeletons