biostudies-literatureBack NOklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology2087-2101https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12809709biostudies-literatureUnknown17(4)CO₂ utilization is a significant and emerging field in catalysis, playing a crucial role in reducing atmospheric CO₂ and mitigating climate change. In this work, we report on Cu(i) complexes that utilize atmospheric CO₂ for the direct carboxylation and esterification of terminal alkynes. The Cu(i) complexes bear ligands of the type 2,6-bis(3-alkyl/arylimidazol-2-ylidene) methylpyridine I(R)^{C^N^C}, where R = ⁱPr, Me, 2,6-ⁱPr₂Ph (Dipp), 2,4,6-Me₃Ph (Mes), and 4-CF₃Ph. While copper-catalyzed carboxylation reactions are not unprecedented, this work presents the first example of metal ligand cooperativity (MLC) through a dearomatization-aromatization process used in the direct carboxylation of termChemical scienceMetal ligand cooperativity in the direct carboxylation and esterification of terminal alkynes by Cu-CNC complexes bearing 2,6-lutidine linkers.PMC12809709HR23-008Back NGuthrie Ede Visser SPZhu CTahsini LfalseMetal ligand cooperativity in the direct carboxylation and esterification of terminal alkynes by Cu-CNC complexes bearing 2,6-lutidine linkers.CO₂ utilization is a significant and emerging field in catalysis, playing a crucial role in reducing atmospheric CO₂ and mitigating climate change. In this work, we report on Cu(i) complexes that utilize atmospheric CO₂ for the direct carboxylation and esterification of terminal alkynes. The Cu(i) complexes bear ligands of the type 2,6-bis(3-alkyl/arylimidazol-2-ylidene) methylpyridine I(R)^{C^N^C}, where R = ⁱPr, Me, 2,6-ⁱPr₂Ph (Dipp), 2,4,6-Me₃Ph (Mes), and 4-CF₃Ph. While copper-catalyzed carboxylation reactions are not unprecedented, this work presents the first example of metal ligand cooperativity (MLC) through a dearomatization-aromatization process used in the direct carboxylation of term2026-01-01T00:00:00Z2026 Jan2026-06-11T05:57:56.799Z2026-06-11T03:12:14.322ZS-EPMC128097094155056310.1039/d5sc08379f