Organic compound modification of CeO2 and 2-cyanopyridine hybrid catalyst in carbonate synthesis from CO2 and alcohols

•Phenol is a useful modifier for CeO2 and 2-cyanopyridine hybrid catalyst.•Phenol is adsorbed on the open space of 2-cyanopyridine adspecies over CeO2.•2-Cyanopyridine and phenol are co-adsorbed nearby on CeO2.•The coverage of each component is 1/9 in terms of surface Ce atoms.•Phenol addition can control the reactivity of alcohols by the steric hindrance.