Catalytic Degradation of Sulfur Hexafluoride by Rhodium Complexes

The development of a safe and efficient method for the degradation of SF6 is of current environmental interest, because SF6 is one of the most potent greenhouse gases. SF6 is thermally and chemically extremely inert, and therefore, it has been used in various industrial applications. However, this inertness results in a major challenge for its depletion. We report on a process for a catalytic degradation of SF6 in the homogeneous phase by using rhodium complexes as precatalysts. The SF6 activation reactions feature mild reaction conditions, low catalyst loadings, and a high selectivity. The employment of phosphines and hydrosilanes for scavenging the sulfur and fluorine atoms of the SF6 molecule allows the selective transformation of SF6 into nongaseous and nontoxic compounds.