Pyridine-decorated carbon nanotubes as a metal-free heterogeneous catalyst for mild CO2 reduction to methanol with hydroboranes

Pyridine decorated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (N-Py-MW) have been successfully employed as a catalyst for the reduction of carbon dioxide to methyl borinate (R2BO-CH3) in the presence of 9-borabicyclo.3.3.1] nonane. N-Py-MW represents the first example of a heterogeneous, metal-free and durable catalyst for CO2 hydroboration to methanol. A mechanistic cycle has been proposed on the basis of targeted blank experiments and a quantum chemical study, highlighting the non-innocent role played by the nanotube carrier in the final N-Py-MW catalytic performance.