In nature, plants have the ability to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) into chemical energy through photosynthesis. With CO2 emissions and their impact on climate change being a major environmental concern across the globe, researchers are turning to natural processes for inspiration on how to tackle the problem. Scientists at the Universitat Jaume I recently developed a new bioinspired catalyst that sustainably transforms CO2 into added-value chemicals for diverse industries.
Enzymes work as excellent natural catalysts due to harmonious supramolecular interactions between well-organized sets of amino acid residues and the substrates and intermediates of the reactions they catalyze. Taking inspiration from this natural phenomenon, the researchers designed highly organized supramolecular Zn2+ complexes consisting of pseudopeptidic macrocycles and tested their catalytic activity. Specifically, the catalysts were designed for cycloaddition of CO2 to epoxides, which would enable the production of valuable chemicals including cyclic carbonates.
The team found that the pseudopeptide catalysts exhibited high enzyme-like catalytic activity, and could be used to produce cyclic carbonates from dilute CO2 under mild pressure and temperature conditions. In addition, the reactions were enantioselective and did not require the use of any additional co-catalysts. Due to their pseudopeptidic structure, the catalysts can be biodegraded, and their ability to convert industrially-produced CO2 into added-value chemicals could contribute to the development of a circular economy where industries that generate CO2 waste flows can convert that waste into raw materials for further applications. Cyclic carbonates, for example, are used in many applications including in the production of environmentally friendly solvents, lithium-ion batteries, paints and coatings, resins and polymeric materials. This research was published in Chem Catalysis.
“We believe that these findings will be a major asset for designing highly active enzyme-like supramolecular catalysts for challenging CO2 transformations,” the authors wrote.
The researchers have patented the technology and in the future hope to partner with companies to further develop, adapt and apply the new sustainable catalysts.