Hydrogenation of CO2 into formate using an iridium catalyst containing proton-responsive imidazoline–amide ligands

Abstract

A series of air-stable, water-soluble iridium catalysts featuring imidazoline–amide ligands have been developed for the aqueous-phase hydrogenation of CO₂ to formate, achieving a TON of 58 530. Notably, the ImA-1 catalyst also efficiently produces formate from bicarbonate. Moreover, this proton-responsive catalyst enables integrated CO₂ capture with aqueous amines and its conversion to formate in the presence of H₂, with a TON of 23 077.