CO2 activation through silylimido and silylamido zirconium hydrides supported on N-donor chelating SBA15 surface ligands

Density functional theory calculations and 2D 1H-13C HETCOR solid state NMR spectroscopy prove that CO2 can be used to probe, by its own reactivity, different types of N-donor surface ligands on SBA15-supported Zr(IV) hydrides: [≡(Si-O-)(≡Si-N=)[Zr]H] and [≡(Si-NH-)(≡Si-X-)[Zr]H2] (X=O or NH). Moreover, [≡(Si–O-)(≡Si-N=)[Zr]H] activates CO2 more efficiently than the other complexes and leads to the formation of a carbimato Zr formate.