CO2 activation by ligand-free manganese hydrides in a parahydrogen matrix

Abstract

Manganese formate complexes, HMn(η²-O₂CH) and Mn(η²-O₂CH), are formed through MnH₂ and MnH reactions with CO₂ in solid parahydrogen and identified by matrix infrared spectroscopy with the basis of isotopic substitutions and theoretical frequency calculations. The reaction mechanism has been proposed that the reaction proceeds by concerted hydride ion transfer.