Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku Tokyo 113-8656 Japan
Abstract:
A new route of methanol synthesis, at 443 K and under pressurized conditions, from carbon dioxide and hydrogen through formic ester was investigated, by using Cu-based catalysts. This one-pot reaction consisted of three steps:
1. formic acid synthesis from CO2 and H2,
2. esterification of formic acid by ethanol to ethyl formate, and
3. hydrogenolysis of ethyl formate to methanol and ethanol.