CAS: Base Metal Catalysts for Carbon Dioxide Hydrogenation and Carbon-Carbon Bond Formation

This project is led by Professor Connie Lu of the University of Minnesota and is funded by the Chemical Catalysis program of the Chemistry Division. The main goal of this project is to convert carbon dioxide, a gas found in volcanoes, hot springs and geysers, as well as in deposits of petroleum and natural gas, into fuels. Professor Lu is testing new catalysts for this chemical conversion. The catalysts used in this research are formed from pairs of metals. Notably, some pairs, such as iron and aluminium, are promising candidates to accelerate the desired reactions, while other pairs are less active. The Lu team focuses on determining the structures of the active pairs. This research develops the foundations for the design of future catalysts and renewable fuels. Students gain international experience and exposure to US National Laboratories through short research stays at the Max Planck Institute in Germany and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, as well as site visits to Argonne and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. These enriching opportunities build a stronger, more experienced US workforce. Professor Lu and her team volunteer in the student-led program, SciMentors, which helps underserved adult learners pass the GED exam through tutoring and hands-on science experiments. This project contributes to scientific literacy and addresses economic competitiveness of the U.S.

Advances in catalyst design increasingly focus on the use of base metals because of their low cost and low environmental footprint. Funded by NSF's Chemical Catalysis Program, Professor Connie Lu of the University of Minnesota is investigating Lewis acidic sigma-acceptor metalloligands to enable new modes of reactivity at a base metal by leveraging the M→LA bonding interaction between the base metal (M) and the Lewis acid (LA). Recently, M−LA complexes have emerged as an important class of bifunctional catalysts, where the LA has predominantly been a main group ion. For this project, Professor Lu and her team are targeting M-LA catalysts centered on base metals (Fe, Co, and Ni) and lanthanide ions to achieve the hydrogenation of CO2 to formate, and ultimately, to methanol. The team also aims to expand the catalytic scope of these bifunctional complexes by targeting C-C bond formation processes that leverage the unique cooperativity of the M-LA active site.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.