Catalytic reduction of carbon dioxide by a zinc hydride compound, [Tptm]ZnH, and conversion to the methanol level

The zinc hydride compound, [Tptm]ZnH, may achieve the reduction of CO2 by (RO)(3)SiH (R = Me, Et) to the methanol oxidation level, (MeO)(x)Si(OR)(4-x), via the formate species, HCO2Si(OR)(3). However, because insertion of CO2 into the Zn-H bond is more facile than insertion of HCO2Si(OR)(3), conversion of HCO2Si(OR)(3) to the methanol level only occurs to a significant extent in the absence of CO2.