Pyridine-decorated carbon nanotubes as a metal-free heterogeneous catalyst for mild CO<inf>2</inf>reduction to methanol with hydroboranes

Abstract

© 2017 The Royal Society of Chemistry. Pyridine decorated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (N Py -MW) have been successfully employed as a catalyst for the reduction of carbon dioxide to methyl borinate (R 2 BO-CH 3 ) in the presence of 9-borabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane. N Py -MW represents the first example of a heterogeneous, metal-free and durable catalyst for CO 2 hydroboration to methanol. A mechanistic cycle has been proposed on the basis of targeted blank experiments and a quantum chemical study, highlighting the non-innocent role played by the nanotube carrier in the final N Py -MW catalytic performance.