A series of rare earth 4-hydroxycinnamate compounds including Ce(4OHCin)(3), La(4OHCin)(3), and Pr(4OHCin)(3) has been synthesized and evaluated as novel inhibitors for carbon dioxide corrosion of steel in CO2-saturated sodium chloride solutions. Electrochemical measurements and surface analysis have shown that these REM(4OHCin)(3) compounds effectively inhibited CO2 corrosion by forming protective inhibiting deposits that shut down the active electrochemical corrosion sites on the steel surface. Inhibition efficiency was found to increase in the order Ce(4OHCin)(3) < La(4OHCin)(3) < Pr(4OHCin)(3) and with increase in inhibitor concentration up to 0.63 mM. Detailed insights into corrosion inhibition mechanism of these compounds in carbon dioxide environment are also provided. (c) 2014 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.