A CO2 Absorbent Articulated by Imitating the RuBisCO Regulation Site

Abstract

A coordination complex comprising Mg2+ cation and a chelate amine ligand, [Mg(O2CCF3)(2)(TAD)], mimicking the active site of the RuBisCO regulation factor, was prepared as a CO2 absorbent. The inorganic complex absorbent exhibited absorption capacity of 2.0 mol CO2/mol complex and the heat of CO2 absorption of 70.88 kJ/mol. Upon the comparison with the common absorbent, i.e., monoethanolamine (MEA), the novel CO2 absorbent outperformed and showed lower heat of formation. This was attributed to the formation of carbamate zwitterion stabilized by the coordination with Mg2+ centre atom during the absorption.