CO₂ Reduction by a Diiron-di(μ-sulfido) Cyclophane Complex

Will Buratto¹, Ricardo B. Ferreira¹, Ricardo García-Serres², Leslie J. Murray¹

1) University of Florida, Gainesville, FL; 2) University Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France

Reduction of carbon dioxide to high value targets including hydrocarbons and alcohols, carbon monoxide, and formic acid remains a critical need to mitigate the atmospheric CO₂ levels. Systems competent for C–C bond formation from CO₂ are particularly attractive as these provide a route towards carbon neutral fuels and other commodity chemicals. Molecular systems competent for this reactive are few, and most operate at strongly reducing potentials and suffer from slow reaction kinetics. Here we will describe a di(μ-sulfido)diiron cyclophane complex which effects catalytic CO₂ oxalate conversion using excess reductants and under an applied potential. Mechanistic studies on this system and comparison to other reported systems will be presented.