Fundamental mechanisms of reactions such as CO 2 electroreduction and hydrogen evolution remain controversial due to the challenge

The gap

Evidence profile

Sourced from the abstract and stated research gap and stated challenges of the source papers, classified as general, drawn from work published between 2022 and 2026, spanning 4 journals. Those papers have been cited 71 times in total.

Supporting evidence — 5 representative gaps

• Interrogating the chemical mechanism for carbon dioxide (CO2) reactivity in aqueous tertiary amine solutions: Can a simple parallel hydration reaction mechanism work? (2022) · Greenhouse Gases Science and Technology · doi

  Results showed that the simplified base catalysis mechanism in the absence of the kinetic pathways for CO 2 via hydroxide and water is insufficient to predict the measured kinetic data while the complete base catalysis mechanism and parallel hydration mechanisms can accurately predict the kinetics of CO 2 absorption into MDEA solutions.

  generalabstractevidence 5/5
  Keywords: base catalysis mechanism kinetic predict simplified absence pathways hydroxide water insufficient measured complete parallel hydration
• Surface Carbon Formation and its Impact on Methane Dry Reforming Kinetics on Rhodium‐Based Catalysts by Operando Raman Spectroscopy (2024) · Angewandte Chemie International Edition · cited 25× · doi

  Furthermore, the proposed mechanism for carbon formation shows that the influence of CO 2 on MDR kinetics is an indirect result of carbon accumulation over time frames exceeding the turnover frequency, thus reconciling conflicting reports in the literature regarding CO 2 ′s kinetic role in MDR.

  generalabstractevidence 5/5
  Keywords: carbon proposed mechanism formation shows influence kinetics indirect result accumulation time frames exceeding turnover frequency
• Carbonate anions and radicals induce interfacial water ordering in CO2 electroreduction on gold (2025) · Nature Chemistry · cited 46× · doi

  Fundamental mechanisms of reactions such as CO 2 electroreduction and hydrogen evolution remain controversial due to the challenge of in situ deciphering of hydration structures alongside reaction intermediates and products.

  generalabstractevidence 5/5
  Keywords: fundamental mechanisms reactions electroreduction hydrogen evolution remain controversial challenge situ deciphering hydration structures alongside reaction
• Computational study of the CO$$_2$$ hydrogenation to formic acid catalyzed by a P,P-bidentate copper(I) complex (2026) · Journal of Molecular Modeling · doi

  The need for efficient CO2 transformations into value-added products. The lack of understanding of the catalytic cycle of CO2 hydrogenation to formic acid. The importance of identifying the role of Lewis bases in H2 heterolysis.

  generalstated research gapevidence 5/5
  Keywords: need efficient co2 transformations value-added products lack understanding
• Computational study of the CO$$_2$$ hydrogenation to formic acid catalyzed by a P,P-bidentate copper(I) complex (2026) · Journal of Molecular Modeling · doi

  The kinetic inertness of CO2 under gas phase conditions. The need for accurate computational methods to predict experimental turnover frequency values. The complexity of the catalytic cycle and the role of Lewis bases in H2 heterolysis.

  generalstated challengesevidence 5/5
  Keywords: kinetic inertness co2 gas phase conditions need accurate

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