Yale Chemists Pioneer New Method for CO2 Conversion into Valuable Formate

Yale University chemists have unveiled a novel method to transform carbon dioxide (CO2) into formate, a chemical compound widely used in preservatives and pesticides. Published in the journal *Chem* on March 7, the study, spearheaded by Professors Nilay Hazari and James Mayer, presents an alternative to CO2 conversion into carbon monoxide. The new method focuses on producing formate, a potential building block for complex chemicals, using a new catalyst system that works under milder conditions and is more stable than existing methods. The catalyst system uses molecular manganese catalysts attached to porous silicon. When exposed to light, the silicon absorbs energy and transfers electrons to the catalyst, allowing it to convert CO2 into formate. Adding a thin oxide layer to the silicon surface improved the catalyst's performance. Researchers believe this discovery could be applied to other chemical processes, not just CO2 conversion. This breakthrough offers a promising avenue for reducing greenhouse gases and creating useful materials from CO2, addressing the urgent need for alternative sources of chemical materials.