Hydrogenation of CO2 Promoted by Silicon-Activated H2S: Origin and Implications

Unlike the usual method of CO_x (x = 1, 2) hydrogenation using H₂ directly, H₂S and HSiSH (silicon-activated H₂S) were selected as alternative hydrogen sources in this study for the CO_x hydrogenation reactions. Our results suggest that it is kinetically infeasible for hydrogen in the form of H₂S to transfer to CO_x at low temperatures. However, when HSiSH is employed instead, the title reaction can be achieved. For this approach, the activation of CO₂ is initiated by its interaction with the HSiSH molecule, a reactive species with both a hydridic H^δ− and protonic H^δ+. These active hydrogens are responsible for the successive C-end and O-end activations of CO₂ and hence the final product (HCOOH). This finding represents a good example of an indirect hydrogen source used in CO₂ hydrogenation through reactivity tuned by silicon incorporation, and thus the underlying mechanism will be valuable for the design of similar reactions.