Rare Metal Complex of N2O Could Help Degrade Potent Greenhouse Gas
Nitrous oxide (N
2O), similar to its chemical relative carbon dioxide (CO
2), is a major greenhouse gas and is also the leading ozone-depleting substance produced in the 21
st Century.
Two peas in a pod. Analogous metal complexes of nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide help to rationalize differences and similarities in the chemistry of two important greenhouse gases. Image Credit: Monika Stolar and Chris Gendy.
As a result, scientists are developing new ways to reduce the emissions of N
2O and also its catalytic decomposition with metals.
According to a new study, N
Like its chemical relative carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O) is an important greenhouse gas and the dominant ozone-depleting substance. Strategies for limiting its emissions and its catalytic decomposition with metals are being developed. A study indicates that nitrous oxide can bind to metals similarly to carbon dioxide, which helps to design new complexes with even stronger bonding. This could allow the use of nitrous oxide in synthetic chemistry.