A Bioinspired Multicomponent Catalytic System for Converting Carbon Dioxide into Methanol Autocatalytically

Abstract

<h2>Summary</h2> Nature utilizes multicomponent catalyst systems to convert simple, abundant starting materials into complex molecules that are essential for life. In contrast, synthetic chemical transformations rarely adopt this strategy because it is difficult to replicate the sophisticated supramolecular assemblies used by biology for active-site separation and substrate trafficking. Here, we describe a method for multicomponent catalyst separation that involves encapsulating transition-metal complexes in nanoporous materials called metal-organic frameworks. The multicomponent catalyst system was highly active for converting hydrogen and carbon dioxide to methanol, and it could be formulated to be readily recyclable. Moreover, we uncovered an autocatalytic feature that was possible only when we utilized the multicomponent catalyst strategy. These results open avenues for obtaining fuel from abundant and renewable resources.