Water‐Enhanced Synthesis of Higher Alcohols from CO2 Hydrogenation over a Pt/Co3O4 Catalyst under Milder Conditions

Abstract The effect of water on CO 2 hydrogenation to produce higher alcohols (C 2 –C 4 ) was studied. Pt/Co 3 O 4 , which had not been used previously for this reaction, was applied as the heterogeneous catalyst. It was found that water and the catalyst had an excellent synergistic effect for promoting the reaction. High selectivity of C 2 –C 4 alcohols could be achieved at 140 °C (especially with DMI (1,3‐dimethyl‐2‐imidazolidinone) as co‐solvent), which is a much lower temperature than reported previously. The catalyst could be reused at least five times without reducing the activity and selectivity. D 2 O and 13 CH 3 OH labeling experiments indicated that water involved in the reaction and promoted the reaction kinetically, and ethanol was formed via CH 3 OH as an intermediate.