Atomically Dispersed Copper on N-Doped Carbon Nanosheets for Electrocatalytic Synthesis of Carbamates from CO₂ as a C₁ Source

The synthesis of carbamates by electrocatalytic reduction of CO₂ is an effective method to realize the utilization of CO₂ resources. The development of high-performance electrocatalysts to complete this process more efficiently is of great significance to sustainable development. Owing to their unique structural characteristics, single-atom catalysts are expected to promote the reaction process more efficiently. In this study, an atomically dispersed Cu species on N-doped carbon nanosheet composite material (Cu−N−C) was prepared by metal-organic framework derivatization. Compared with traditional Cu bulk electrodes, the Cu−N−C material has better catalytic performance for the synthesis of methyl N-phenylcarbamate; and the optimized yield reached 71 % at room temperature and normal pressure. The Cu−N−C material has good stability that the catalytic performance does not decrease after repeated use for 10 times. In addition, the Cu−N−C material has good applicability to this catalytic system, and a variety of amines can be smoothly converted into corresponding carbamates.