Mechanisms of the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide catalysed by transition metal complexes

Abstract

[Extract] Carbon dioxide is a potential source of single carbon fragments for the synthesis of future fuels and chemicals. It is a renewable resource with a chemistry that is in part responsible for the diversity of biological structures in nature. Despite the importance of this simple substrate, its reduction chemistry, both stoichiometric and catalytic, has not been explored. This situation, however, is slowly changing due to the recent extensive advances in coordination chemistry, organometallic chemistry and transition metal electrochemistry. The purpose of this chapter is to critically review the contributions that have defined our present understanding of the mechanistic steps that occur during electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide.