Hydrogen sulfide gas capture by organic superbase 1,8-diazabicyclo-[5.4.0]-undec-7-ene through salt formation: salt synthesis, characterization and application for CO2 capture

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a toxic and environment polluting gas like other acid gases and hence its capture and sequestration is equally important before release into the atmosphere. In this regard, solvent-based processes involving aqueous tertiary amine systems were extensively studied and used. Herein, in line with an analogous pathway, we report capture of H2S gas in the form of its salt with an organic superbase such as 1,8-diazabicyclo-[5.4.0]-undec-7-ene (DBU) and the obtained salt was thoroughly studied. Spectroscopic analyses such as NMR and FTIR analyses confirmed that the H2S molecule formed an ionic solid adduct with DBU through protonation of its sp2-hybridized N atom. The stability of formed [DBUH][SH] salt in aqueous solution as well as under thermal treatment was also studied and monitored by NMR and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), respectively. In aqueous medium, compared to DBU, the [DBUH][SH] salt exhibited long term stability without decomposition whereas under thermal treatment both DBU and its salt with H2S turned out to be thermally unstable where salt showed a volatile nature like a sublimized solid. Dissolution feasibility of [DBUH][SH] salt was also compared with DBU in polar as well as non-polar solvents and even though the [DBUH][SH] salt had an ionic nature, like DBU, it was also found soluble in various polar and non-polar solvents. Considering the stability of [DBUH][SH] salt in aqueous medium, its aqueous solution was further explored as a solvent media for CO2 capture where the influence of process parameters such as the influence of concentration of water in the solvent and CO2 flow rate was studied. Most importantly, here we demonstrated the synthesis of [DBUH][SH] salt for easy capture of H2S gas following reaction with DBU under ambient reaction conditions.