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Updated: Jun 28, 2025
07:36
Versatile CO2 Transformations into Complex Products: A One-pot Two-step Strategy
Published on: November 9, 2019
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Carbon dioxide capture and functionalization by bis(N-heterocyclic carbene)-borylene complexes
Jun Fan1, An-Ping Koh1, Chi-Shiun Wu2
1School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 637371, Singapore.
Nature Communications
|April 9, 2024
Summary
Researchers synthesized novel borylene complexes capable of capturing and functionalizing carbon dioxide (CO2). These complexes show potential for CO2 utilization through reversible capture and further chemical modification.
Area of Science:
- Organometallic Chemistry
- Inorganic Chemistry
- Materials Science
Background:
- Monocoordinated borylenes exhibit transition-metal-like reactivity, particularly in small molecule capture.
- The synthesis and stability of such borylene complexes remain challenging due to endergonic formation or transient adducts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize novel bis(N-heterocyclic carbene)-borylene complexes.
- To investigate the capability of these complexes for carbon dioxide (CO2) capture and functionalization.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of two distinct bis(N-heterocyclic carbene)-borylene complexes.
- Characterization of CO2 adducts formed with these borylenes.
- Investigation of CO2 functionalization reactions using the borylene-CO2 adducts.
Main Results:
- Successful synthesis of bis(NHC)-disilylamidoborylene 1 and bis(NHC)-mesitylborylene 2.
- Formation of a bis(NHC)-isocyanatoborylene-CO2 complex 3 via CO2 capture by 1.
- Demonstration of reversible CO2 capture by 2, forming a persistent adduct 4 stabilized by hydrogen bonding.
- Further functionalization of captured CO2 in adduct 4 with ammonia-borane and aniline.
Conclusions:
- Novel bis(N-heterocyclic carbene)-borylene complexes can effectively capture and functionalize carbon dioxide.
- The synthesized complexes offer tunable reactivity for CO2 utilization pathways.
- These findings open avenues for developing new catalysts and materials for CO2 conversion.
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