Optimizing reaction paths for methanol synthesis from CO2 hydrogenation via metal-ligand cooperativity.

As diversified reaction paths exist over practical catalysts towards CO2 hydrogenation, it is highly desiderated to precisely control the reaction path for developing efficient catalysts. Herein, we report that the ensemble of Pt single atoms coordinated with oxygen atoms in MIL-101 (Pt1@MIL) induces distinct reaction path to improve selective hydrogenation of CO2 into methanol. Pt1@MIL achieves the turnover frequency number of 117 h-1 in DMF under 32 bar at 150 °C, which is 5.6 times that of Ptn@MIL. Moreover, the selectivity for methanol is 90.3% over Pt1@MIL, much higher than that (13.3%) over Ptn@MIL with CO as the major product. According to mechanistic studies, CO2 is hydrogenated into HCOO* as the intermediate for Pt1@MIL, whereas COOH* serves as the intermediate for Ptn@MIL. The unique reaction path over Pt1@MIL not only lowers the activation energy for the enhanced catalytic activity, but also contributes to the high selectivity for methanol.