Highly Efficient Additive-Free Dehydrogenation of Neat Formic Acid

Area of Science:

• Catalysis
• Renewable Energy
• Materials Science

Background:

• Formic acid (FA) is a key hydrogen carrier for a sustainable hydrogen economy.
• Efficient generation of H2 from neat FA without solvents is crucial but challenging.
• Existing catalytic systems for FA dehydrogenation are limited in stability and activity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a highly active and stable catalyst for neat formic acid dehydrogenation.
• To investigate the catalytic mechanism for CO-free H2/CO2 generation.
• To assess the potential for large-scale implementation of FA-based hydrogen production.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis and characterization of a ruthenium 9H-acridine pincer complex.
• Testing catalytic activity for neat FA dehydrogenation under various conditions.
• Conducting mechanistic investigations and Density Functional Theory (DFT) studies.

Main Results:

• The ruthenium catalyst demonstrated remarkable activity and stability, operating for over a month.
• Achieved an exceptionally high total turnover number (1,701,150) for FA dehydrogenation.
• Generated high pressures of CO-free H2/CO2 gas (up to 100 bars) from neat FA.

Conclusions:

• The developed ruthenium pincer complex is a highly effective catalyst for neat FA dehydrogenation.
• The system's high activity, stability, selectivity, and simplicity are promising for industrial hydrogen production.
• This catalyst offers a viable route to implement formic acid as a hydrogen carrier in a hydrogen economy.