Coupled Electrochemical Reduction of CO2 and H+ in the Presence of Substituted 2,2'-Bipyridinium Salts

The possibility of the coupled electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide and hydrogen in the presence of 2,2'-bipyridine and its N -substituted salts in the presence of acids with different p K a values was studied. It was found that the strength of the acid affects the efficiency of the process; in particular, methylsulfonic acid promotes the coupled hydrogen formation and the reduction of carbon dioxide to formic acid. Plausible mechanisms of the reactions that occurred have been proposed.