A copper complex based catalytic conversion and isolation of carbonate from CO2 for the carbon sequestration process

[Display omitted] •A copper complex with a highly distorted square pyramidal geometry was prepared using the N3S ligand framework.•The N3S-ligated Cu(II) complex can be electrochemically reduced to Cu(I).•The generated carbonate from CO2 could be easily isolated as Li2CO3 with LiClO4. The conversion of CO2 into value-added chemicals of industrial significance is of great interest due to global warming-related concerns and the depletion of natural resources. This paper describes a mononuclear copper complex with an N3S coordination environment that can catalyze the conversion of CO2 into the carbonate anion with an ambient O2. Electrochemical studies indicate that the N3S-ligated Cu(II) complex can be reduced to Cu(I), which can subsequently generate the carbonate anion from CO2 and ambient O2. In presence of LiClO4 when the N3S-ligated complex Cu(II) is reduced to Cu(I), the complex easily releases the carbonate anion which easily precipitates as Li2CO3 in CH3CN. These studies suggest that the N3S-ligated Cu(II)/(I) complexes can be used to convert CO2 to carbonate and isolate the generated carbonate.