Hydrogen sulfide gas capture by organic superbase 1,8-diazabicyclo-[5.4.0]-undec-7-ene through salt formation: salt synthesis, characterization and application for CO2 capture

Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) is a toxic and environment polluting gas like other acid gases and hence its capture and sequestration is equally important before release into the atmosphere. In this regard, solvent-based processes involving aqueous tertiary amine systems were extensively studied and used. Herein, in line with an analogous pathway, we report capture of H₂S gas in the form of its salt with an organic superbase such as 1,8-diazabicyclo-[5.4.0]-undec-7-ene (DBU) and the obtained salt was thoroughly studied. Spectroscopic analyses such as NMR and FTIR analyses confirmed that the H₂S molecule formed an ionic solid adduct with DBU through protonation of its sp²-hybridized N atom. The stability of formed [DBUH][SH] salt in aqueous solution as well as under thermal treatment was also studied and monitored by NMR and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), respectively. In aqueous medium, compared to DBU, the [DBUH][SH] salt exhibited long term stability without decomposition whereas under thermal treatment both DBU and its salt with H₂S turned out to be thermally unstable where salt showed a volatile nature like a sublimized solid. Dissolution feasibility of [DBUH][SH] salt was also compared with DBU in polar as well as non-polar solvents and even though the [DBUH][SH] salt had an ionic nature, like DBU, it was also found soluble in various polar and non-polar solvents. Considering the stability of [DBUH][SH] salt in aqueous medium, its aqueous solution was further explored as a solvent media for CO₂ capture where the influence of process parameters such as the influence of concentration of water in the solvent and CO₂ flow rate was studied. Most importantly, here we demonstrated the synthesis of [DBUH][SH] salt for easy capture of H₂S gas following reaction with DBU under ambient reaction conditions.