Direct conversion of CO2 to aromatics based on the coupling strategy and multi-functional catalysis

As fundamental chemicals and building blocks for the modern chemical industry, aromatics possess a huge market demand. The direct and atom-economic conversion of CO₂ to aromatics holds the potential to diminish the reliance on petroleum resources and provides a viable approach towards a net-zero chemical industry. The key lies in the implementation of the highly efficient coupling catalysis strategy and utilization of multi-functional catalysts. In this review, recent advances in the direct conversion of CO₂ to aromatics via the methanol-mediated pathway and the modified Fischer–Tropsch synthesis route are comprehensively discussed, including an in-depth analysis of the tandem reaction mechanism and bifunctional catalysts, which consist of metal-based materials (including metals, metal oxides, or metal carbides) and zeolites. Furthermore, several novel catalytic pathways, involving coupling CO₂ conversion with reactions such as CO hydrogenation, aromatic alkylation, or alkane aromatization, are also elaborated. Subsequently, the coupling effect of multi-functional catalysis, as well as the influence of the proximity between catalytic components, is explored. Moreover, the revealing and construction of the spatial pathway for tandem reactions, which enable the spatio-temporal coupling of multi-functional catalytic systems, are addressed. The challenges and potential directions for the further development of the direct CO₂-to-aromatics conversion technology are finally proposed.