Issue 37, 2024

Four-electron reduction of CO2: from formaldehyde and acetal synthesis to complex transformations

Abstract

The expansive and dynamic field of the CO2 Reduction Reaction (CO2RR) seeks to harness CO2 as a sustainable carbon source or energy carrier. While significant progress has been made in two, six, and eight-electron reductions of CO2, the four-electron reduction remains understudied. This review fills this gap, comprehensively exploring CO2 reduction into formaldehyde (HCHO) or acetal-type compounds (EOCH2OE, with E = [Si], [B], [Zr], [U], [Y], [Nb], [Ta] or –R) using various CO2RR systems. These encompass (photo)electro-, bio-, and thermal reduction processes with diverse reductants. Formaldehyde, a versatile C1 product, is challenging to synthesize and isolate from the CO2RR. The review also discusses acetal compounds, emphasizing their significance as pathways to formaldehyde with distinct reactivity. Providing an overview of the state of four-electron CO2 reduction, this review highlights achievements, challenges, and the potential of the produced compounds – formaldehyde and acetals – as sustainable sources for valuable product synthesis, including chiral compounds.

Graphical abstract: Four-electron reduction of CO2: from formaldehyde and acetal synthesis to complex transformations

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Article information

Article type
Review Article
Submitted
30 Apr 2024
Accepted
02 Aug 2024
First published
05 Aug 2024
This article is Open Access

All publication charges for this article have been paid for by the Royal Society of Chemistry
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Chem. Sci., 2024,15, 15023-15086

Four-electron reduction of CO2: from formaldehyde and acetal synthesis to complex transformations

S. Desmons, J. Bonin, M. Robert and S. Bontemps, Chem. Sci., 2024, 15, 15023 DOI: 10.1039/D4SC02888K

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