Use of carbon dioxide as feedstock for chemicals and fuels: homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis

Abstract

CO2 is considered to play a key role in an eventual climate change, due to its accumulation in the atmosphere. The control of its emission represents a challenging task that requires new ideas and new technologies. The use of perennial energy sources and renewable fuels instead of fossil fuels and the conversion of CO2 into useful products are receiving increased attention. The utilization of CO2 as a raw material for the synthesis of chemicals and fuels is an area in which scientists and industrialists are much involved: the implementation of such technology on a large scale would allow a change from a linear use of fossil carbon to its cyclic use, mimicking Nature. In this paper the use of CO2 as building block is discussed. CO2 can replace toxic species such as phosgene in low energy processes, or can be used as source of carbon for the synthesis of energy products. The reactions with dihydrogen, alcohols, epoxides, amines, olefins, dienes, and other unsaturated hydrocarbons are discussed, under various reaction conditions, using metal systems or enzymes as catalysts. The formation of products such as formic acid and its esters, formamides, methanol, dimethyl carbonate, alkylene carbonates, carbamic acid esters, lactones, carboxylic acids, and polycarbonates, is described. The factors that have limited so far the conversion of large volumes of CO2 are analyzed and options for large‐scale CO2 catalytic conversion into chemicals and fuels are discussed. Both homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts are considered and the pros and cons of their use highlighted. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry

Initiatives towards Carbon Neutrality in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area

“…Certain types of waste, such as waste oil, can also be used to produce biodiesel [41]. Interest is increasing on the use of CO 2 as feed stocks for chemical and fuel production [42]. Currently, plastic waste can be used to generate biodiesel [43].…”

Carbon Dioxide Adsorption on V2O3(0001)

“…These efforts are documented in a vast number of publications and a comprehensive overview cannot be given at this point. The interested reader is referred to some recent review papers which cover a significant part of this scientific area [25][26][27]. The conversion of CO 2 to methanol and higher alcohols, to methane and to carbon monoxide are probably the most actively studied areas of CO 2 conversion at present; for details please consult the above listed reviews.…”

Synthesis of Diethyl Carbonate from Carbon Dioxide, Propylene Oxide and Ethanol over KNO3-CeO2 and KBr-KNO3-CeO2 Catalysts

“…The production of carbonates [2,3], carbamates [4], methanol [5], formic acid and its derivatives could be synthesized from CO 2 [6,7]. Diethyl carbonate (DEC) is one of the most important green chemicals among carbonate esters.…”