The role of CO₂ as a mild oxidant in oxidation and dehydrogenation over catalysts: A review

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is widely used as an enhancer for industrial applications, enabling the economical and energy-efficient synthesis of a wide variety of chemicals and reducing the CO₂ levels in the environment. CO₂ has been used as an enhancer in a catalytic system which has revived the exploitation of energy-extensive reactions and carry chemical products. CO₂ oxidative dehydrogenation is a greener alternative to the classical dehydrogenation method. The availability, cost, safety, and soft oxidizing properties of CO₂, with the assistance of appropriate catalysts at an industrial scale, can lead to breakthroughs in the pharmaceutical, polymer, and fuel industries. Thus, in this review, we focus on several applications of CO₂ in oxidation and oxidative dehydrogenation systems. These processes and catalytic technologies can reduce the cost of utilizing CO₂ in chemical and fuel production, which may lead to commercial applications in the imminent future.