Dual catalysis mechanism of alcohol solvent and Cu catalyst for a new methanol synthesis method

In situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier-transform spectroscopy was used to clarify the reaction mechanism of a new methanol synthesis method on a Cu/ZnO catalyst at low temperature such as 423 K from syngas containing CO₂ and H₂O using a 2-propanol promoter. The formate species was formed by exposing Cu/ZnO catalyst to syngas, and it easily reacted with 2-propanol to form a 2-propyl formate species at low temperature. 2-Propyl formate was then quickly reduced to form methanol and 2-propanol. The Cu/ZnO catalyst was active for all these steps while catalytically cycled 2-propanol realized a low-temperature route.