Manganese Promoted (Bi)carbonate Hydrogenation and Formate Dehydrogenation: Toward a Circular Carbon and Hydrogen Economy

We report here a feasible hydrogen storage and release process by interconversion of readily available (bi)carbonate and formate salts in the presence of naturally occurring alpha-amino acids. These transformations are of interest for the concept of a circular carbon economy. The use of inorganic carbonate salts for hydrogen storage and release is also described for the first time. Hydrogenation of these substrates proceeds with high formate yields in the presence of specific manganese pincer catalysts and glutamic acid. Based on this, cyclic hydrogen storage and release processes with carbonate salts succeed with good H2 yields.

Automated summary

A feasible hydrogen storage and release process has been reported, which involves the interconversion of readily available (bi)carbonate and formate salts in the presence of naturally occurring alpha-amino acids. These transformations are of interest for the concept of circular carbon economy, and it is the first time that the use of inorganic carbonate salts for hydrogen storage and release has been described. Hydrogenation of the substrates with specific manganese pincer catalysts and glutamic acid yields high formate yields. Based on this, cyclic hydrogen storage and release processes with carbonate salts can achieve good H2 yields.