Hydrogen generation from the chemical energy carrier methanol: mechanistic insights into the ruthenium-catalysed dehydrogenation reaction and the implementation of a novel base-metal catalyst system

This thesis deals with the aqueous-phase reforming of methanol catalysed by homogeneous pincer complexes. Based on extensive kinetic experiments, spectroscopic investigations and supporting theoretical calculations, a complete mechanistic cycle could be proposed for a Ru-pincer catalyst and its methylated derivative. Furthermore, a highly stable catalyst system based on the base metal manganese was implemented for the low-temperature dehydrogenation of methanol