Reduction of carbon dioxide has as main objective the production of useful organic compounds and fuels - renewable fuels - in which solar energy would be stored. Molecular catalysts can be employed to reach this goal, either in photochemical or electrochemical (or combined) contexts. They may in particular provide excellent selectivity thanks to easy tuning of the electronic properties at the metal and of the ligand second and third coordination sphere. Recently it has been shown that such molecular catalysts may also be tuned for generating highly reduced products such as formaldehyde, methanol and methane, leading to new exciting advancements. Likewise, hybridization of these catalysts with conductive or semi-conductive materials may lead to enhance stability and new catalytic properties, as well as the development of devices for applications.This strategy bridges between homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis, and it raises fundamental questions that may further lead to breakthrough in CO2 reduction chemistry. Our recent results in these various areas will be discussed, using earth abundant metal (Fe, Co) porphyrins and phthalocyanines as well as related polypyridine based catalysts.

Reduction of carbon dioxide has as main objective the production of useful organic compounds and fuels - renewable fuels - in which solar energy would be stored. Molecular catalysts can be employed to reach this goal, either in photochemical or electrochemical (or combined) contexts. They may in particular provide excellent selectivity thanks to easy tuning of the electronic properties at the metal and of the ligand second and third coordination sphere. Recently it has been shown that such molecular catalysts may also be tuned for generating highly reduced products such as formaldehyde, methanol and methane, leading to new exciting advancements.

Likewise, hybridization of these catalysts with conductive or semi-conductive materials may lead to enhance stability and new catalytic properties, as well as the development of devices for applications.This strategy bridges between homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis, and it raises fundamental questions that may further lead to breakthrough in CO2 reduction chemistry. Our recent results in these various areas will be discussed, using earth abundant metal (Fe, Co) porphyrins and phthalocyanines as well as related polypyridine based catalysts.