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Selective Hydrogenation of Carbon Dioxide into Methanol

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Conversion of Carbon Dioxide into Hydrocarbons Vol. 2 Technology

Abstract

This chapter is dedicated to methanol synthesis from carbon dioxide and hydrogen. Methanol, chemical formula CH3OH, is an important platform molecule which can be transformed into a large number of other chemicals, i.e., formaldehyde, acetic acid, dimethyl ether, methyl tert-butyl ether, and methyl methacrylate, as well as complex hydrocarbon mixtures, e.g., gasoline and diesel. Up to date, methanol is produced at industrial scale by steam reforming of natural gas, leading to high environmental impacts. The selective hydrogenation of carbon dioxide into methanol can be a good alternative since it is possible to capture carbon dioxide from industrial processes and to produce hydrogen from renewable energies, e.g., solar energy and wind energy.

From a thermodynamic point of view, carbon dioxide hydrogenation is strongly influenced by the total pressure, temperature, and feeding composition. The use of a catalyst is also mandatory to control the kinetic and the selectivity into methanol. Among solid catalysts studied, copper-based catalysts have been found to be the best catalytic systems. Promoters like zinc oxide were usually used. Nickel-, palladium-, and silver-based catalysts also showed good catalytic performance compared to copper-based catalysts. Soluble catalysts have been intensively studied for this hydrogenation. Ru complexes appeared as the best homogeneous catalyst. Other metal-free homogeneous catalysts, e.g., N-heterocyclic carbenes, have been found to be active and selective in this reaction. Efforts have been made on the mechanistic study of the reaction in both the gas and liquid phases. Large industrial production has started in several countries showing the interest and the feasibility of the process.

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Abbreviations

Me:

methyl group or CH3

MEFCO2:

methanol fuel from CO2

mV:

millivolts

phen:

phenanthroline

PNN ligands:

phosphorus–nitrogen–nitrogen pincer ligands

ptpbα:

pyrido[2,3:5,6]pyrazino[2,3-f][1,10]phenanthroline

ptpbβ:

pyrido[3,4,5,6]pyrazino[2,3-f][1,10]phenanthroline

Ru(acac)3:

ruthenium(III) acetylacetonate

SPIRE:

Sustainable Process Industry through Resource and Energy Efficiency

TMM:

trimethylenemethane

Triphos:

1,1,1-tris(diphenylphosphinomethyl)ethane

μM:

micromole per litre or 10−6 mole per litre

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Correspondence to Doan Pham Minh .

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Pham Minh, D. et al. (2020). Selective Hydrogenation of Carbon Dioxide into Methanol. In: Inamuddin, Asiri, A., Lichtfouse, E. (eds) Conversion of Carbon Dioxide into Hydrocarbons Vol. 2 Technology. Environmental Chemistry for a Sustainable World, vol 41. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-28638-5_5

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