| Project Detail |
CO2 may soon be taking its rightful place in sustainable organic synthesis
Carbon forms the backbone of all organic compounds and organic molecules present in numerous products including gasoline and natural gas, plastics, detergents, dyes, food additives and medicines. The typical starting materials for the industrial synthesis of these compounds are fossil fuels. The potential environmental and economic benefits of using CO2 as a feedstock have been known for decades. However, few industrial processes have been successful. The strong bonds in CO2 are not particularly reactive, requiring significant energy and harsh catalysts and conditions that result in large greenhouse gas footprints. CO2PERATE is developing processes using CO2 and biomass as starting materials and non-precious metal catalysts. Their goal is the sustainable CO2-based synthesis of numerous chemicals for industrial and pharmaceutical applications. |
