Selective Hydrogenation of CO2 to Ethanol over Cobalt Catalysts

Abstract Methods for the hydrogenation of CO 2 into valuable chemicals are in great demand but their development is still challenging. Herein, we report the selective hydrogenation of CO 2 into ethanol over non‐noble cobalt catalysts (CoAlO x ), presenting a significant advance for the conversion of CO 2 into ethanol as the major product. By adjusting the composition of the catalysts through the use of different prereduction temperatures, the efficiency of CO 2 to ethanol hydrogenation was optimized; the catalyst reduced at 600 ° gave an ethanol selectivity of 92.1 % at 140 °C with an ethanol time yield of 0.444 mmol g −1 h −1 . Operando FT‐IR spectroscopy revealed that the high ethanol selectivity over the CoAlO x catalyst might be due to the formation of acetate from formate by insertion of *CH x , a key intermediate in the production of ethanol by CO 2 hydrogenation.