Pd-imidate@SBA-15: a multifunctional heterogeneous catalyst for the aqueous room temperature hydrogenation of CO2 to formic acid.

ABSTRACT

The incorporation of hydrophilic and basic sites from phosphotriazaadamantane and saccharine in a water-soluble Pd complex and the subsequent confinement into mesoporous silica support increases the activity and stability of the palladium catalytic species for the room-temperature aqueous hydrogenation of either bicarbonate or CO2 into formic acid. The use of low Pd loadings (<0.1mmolPd·g-1) of the well-dispersed complex on SBA-15 mesoporous silica allows performing the reaction under room temperature, and aqueous conditions, exhibiting TON of ca. 40-100, for the CO2 or bicarbonate hydrogenation, respectively, which is one order of magnitude higher than the homogeneous case, allowing the easy isolation and recycling of the solid catalyst.