IISER Tirupati develops Hydrogen generation method from Methanol and Formaldehyde

Researchers at IISER Tirupati have developed a method to produce hydrogen gas from a mixture of methanol and paraformaldehyde under mild conditions. This method has shown effectiveness in the transfer hydrogenation of alkynes to alkenes and could serve as a potential hydrogen carrier, contributing to advancements in chemical synthesis and sustainable energy solutions.

Hydrogen gas generation is significant due to its potential to replace fossil fuels in energy storage, transportation, and various chemical processes. Methanol and paraformaldehyde, both produced on a large scale, are viable candidates for hydrogen carriers. Their abundance and widespread manufacture make them valuable for the storage and transportation of hydrogen, offering advantages over free hydrogen itself.

The research, led by Prof. Ekambaram Balaraman at IISER Tirupati, utilized commercially available nickel catalysts to produce hydrogen from methanol and paraformaldehyde without needing bases or activators. This catalytic system demonstrated efficiency under mild conditions, and the generated hydrogen was employed in chemo- and stereo-selective partial transfer hydrogenation of alkynes, enabling access to bioactive molecules with synthetic value.

This research, supported by ANRF (formerly SERB, a statutory body of the Department of Science and Technology), was accepted for publication in the journal Catalysis Science & Technology and introduces a method for COx-free hydrogen generation, contributing to the development of a hydrogen economy.

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