Iron nanoparticles generated in situ from [Fe3(CO)12] catalyzed CO2 reduction in the presence of Et3SiH as a reductant and tetrabutylammonium fluoride as a promoter to yield silyl formate (1s) under relatively mild reaction conditions. Additionally, when CO2 hydrosilylation was carried out in water, the product of CO2 reduction was formic acid. Additionally, a similar reaction using [Fe3(CO)12] as a catalytic precursor, PhSiH3 as a reductant, and CO2 in the presence of amines allowed the immediate formation of ureas at room temperature. Here, CO2 acted as a C1 building block for value-added products.
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