Now is the time to apply that principle to mankind’s worst enemy — carbon dioxide. A carbon dioxide molecule, too, has different ‘sites’, one of which is called ‘lowest unoccupied molecular orbital’. This region loves electrons; if you supply electrons, it will accept them and this, in turn, will ‘activate’ the carbon dioxide molecule. Researchers working in this area have found out that you can make ‘cyclic carbonates’ with carbon dioxide. The catalyst provides electrons to activate carbon dioxide, but to make the high-value products — cyclic carbonates — you need to bend the carbon dioxide molecule, which is a straight line (oxygen-carbon-oxygen), into a triangular ring.

Source: The Hindu May 28, 2023 21:30 UTC