Mechanistic Insights into Homogeneous Electrocatalytic and Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution Catalyzed by High-Spin Ni(II) Complexes with S2N2-Type Tetradentate Ligands

Kinetic isotope effect offers selectivity in CO2 reduction

A binuclear Ni complex with N,O donors catalyzes CO2 reduction via its Ni(I) state. The product distribution when H2O is used as a proton source shows similar yields for CO, HCOOH and H2. However, when D2O is used, the product distribution shows a ∼65% selectivity for HCOOH. In situ FTIR indicates that the reaction involves a Ni-COO* and a Ni-CO intermediate. Differences in H/D KIEs on different protonation pathways determine the selectivity of CO2 reduction.

PhenTAA: A Redox-Active N4-Macrocyclic Ligand Featuring Donor and Acceptor Moieties

Here, we present the development and characterization of the novel PhenTAA macrocycle as well as a series of [Ni(R2PhenTAA)]n complexes featuring two sites for ligand-centered redox-activity. These differ in the substituent R (R = H, Me, or Ph) and overall charge of the complex n (n = -2, -1, 0, +1, or +2). Electrochemical and spectroscopic techniques (CV, UV/vis-SEC, X-band EPR) reveal that all redox events of the [Ni(R2PhenTAA)] complexes are ligand-based, with accessible ligand charges of -2, -1, 0, +1, and +2. The o-phenylenediamide (OPD) group functions as the electron donor, while the imine moieties act as electron acceptors. The flanking o-aminobenzaldimine groups delocalize spin density in both the oxidized and reduced ligand states. The reduced complexes have different stabilities depending on the substituent R. For R = H, dimerization occurs upon reduction, whereas for R = Me/Ph, the reduced imine groups are stabilized. This also gives electrochemical access to a [Ni(R2PhenTAA)]2- species. DFT and TD-DFT calculations corroborate these findings and further illustrate the unique donor-acceptor properties of the respective OPD and imine moieties. The novel [Ni(R2PhenTAA)] complexes exhibit up to five different ligand-based oxidation states and are electrochemically stable in a range from -2.4 to +1.8 V for the Me/Ph complexes (vs Fc/Fc+).

Expanding the Horizon of Bio-Inspired Catalyst Design with Tactical Incorporation of Drug Molecules

The development of potent H₂ production catalysts is a key aspect in our journey toward the establishment of a sustainable carbon-neutral power infrastructure. Hydrogenase enzymes provide the blueprint for designing efficient catalysts by the rational combination of central metal core and protein scaffold-based outer coordination sphere (OCS). Traditionally, a biomimetic catalyst is crafted by including natural amino acids as OCS features around a synthetic metal motif to functionally imitate the metalloenzyme activity. Here, we have pursued an unconventional approach and implanted two distinct drug molecules (isoniazid and nicotine hydrazide) at the axial position of a cobalt core to create a new genre of synthetic catalysts. The resultant cobalt complexes are active for both electrocatalytic and photocatalytic H₂ production in near-neutral water, where they significantly enhance the catalytic performance of the unfunctionalized parent cobalt complex. The drug molecules showcased a dual effect as they influence the catalytic HER by improving the surrounding proton relay along and exerting subtle electronic effects. The isoniazid-ligated catalyst C1 outperformed the nicotine hydrazide-bound complex C2, as it produced H₂ from water (pH 6.0) at a rate of 3960 s^-1 while exhibiting Faradaic efficiency of about 90 %. This strategy opens up newer avenues of bio-inspired catalyst design beyond amino acid-based OCS features.

Novel Dithiolene Nickel Complex Catalysts for Electrochemical Hydrogen Evolution Reaction for Hydrogen Production in Nonaqueous and Aqueous Solutions

Three molecular catalysts based on mononuclear nickel(II) complexes with square planar geometries, [BzPy]2[Ni(mnt)2] (1), [BzPy]2[Ni(i-mnt)2] (2), and [BzPy]2[Ni(tdas)2] (3) (BzPy = benzyl pyridinium) are synthesized by the reaction of NiCl2∙6H2O, [BzPy]Br, and Na2(mnt)/Na2(i-mnt)/Na2(tdas) (mnt = 1,2-dicyanoethylene-1,2-dithiolate for (1), i-mnt = 2,2-dicyanoethylene-1,1-dithiolate for (2), and tdas = 1,2,5-thiadiazole-3,4-dithiolate for (3)), respectively. The structures and compositions of these three catalysts are characterized by XRD, elemental analysis, FT-IR, and ESI-MS. The electrochemical properties and the corresponding catalytic activities of these three catalysts are studied by cyclic voltammetry. The controlled-potential electrolysis with gas chromatography analysis confirms the hydrogen production with a turnover frequency (TOF) of 116.89, 165.51, and 189.16 moles of H2 per mole of catalyst per hour at a potential of − 0.99 V (versus SHE) in acetonitrile solutions containing the catalysts, respectively. In a neutral buffer solution, these three molecular catalysts exhibit a TOF of 411.85, 488.76, and 555.06 mol of H2 per mole of catalyst per hour at a potential of − 0.49 V (versus SHE), respectively, indicating that Complex 3 constitutes the better active catalyst than Complexes 1 and 2. For fundamental understanding, a catalytic HER mechanism is also proposed.

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Computational investigation into intramolecular hydrogen bonding controlling the isomer formation and pKa of octahedral nickel (II) proton reduction catalysts

This work demonstrates the impact of intramolecular hydrogen bonding (H-bonding) on the calculated pKa of octahedral tris-(pyridinethiolato)nickel (II), [Ni(PyS)3]-, proton reduction catalysts. Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations on a [Ni(PyS)3]-...

Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution from Plastoquinol Analogues as a Potential Functional Model of Photosystem I

The recent development of a functional model of photosystem II (PSII) has paved a new way to connect the PSII model with a functional model of photosystem I (PSI). However, PSI functional models have yet to be reported. We report herein the first potential functional model of PSI, in which plastoquinol (PQH₂) analogues were oxidized to plastoquinone (PQ) analogues, accompanied by hydrogen (H₂) evolution. Photoirradiation of a deaerated acetonitrile (MeCN) solution containing hydroquinone derivatives (X-QH₂) as a hydrogen source, 9-mesityl-10-methylacridinium ion (Acr⁺-Mes) as a photoredox catalyst, and a cobalt(III) complex, Co^III(dmgH)₂pyCl (dmgH = dimethylglyoximate monoanion; py = pyridine) as a redox catalyst resulted in the evolution of H₂ and formation of the corresponding p-benzoquinone derivatives (X-Q) quantitatively. The maximum quantum yield for photocatalytic H₂ evolution from tetrachlorohydroquinone (Cl₄QH₂) with Acr⁺-Mes and Co^III(dmgH)₂pyCl and H₂O in deaerated MeCN was determined to be 10%. Photocatalytic H₂ evolution is started by electron transfer (ET) from Cl₄QH₂ to the triplet ET state of Acr⁺-Mes to produce Cl₄QH₂^•+ and Acr^•-Mes with a rate constant of 7.2 × 10⁷ M^-1 s^-1, followed by ET from Acr^•-Mes to Co^III(dmgH)₂pyCl to produce [Co^II(dmgH)₂pyCl]^-, accompanied by the regeneration of Acr⁺-Mes. On the other hand, Cl₄QH₂^•+ is deprotonated to produce Cl₄QH^•, which transfers either a hydrogen-atom transfer or a proton-coupled electron transfer to [Co^II(dmgH)₂pyCl]^- to produce a cobalt(III) hydride complex, [Co^III(H)(dmgH)₂pyCl]^-, which reacts with H⁺ to evolve H₂, accompanied by the regeneration of Co^III(dmgH)₂pyCl. The formation of [Co^II(dmgH)₂pyCl]^- was detected by electron paramagnetic resonance measurements.

Synthesis, structure, and biological activity of bis(benzimidazole)amino thio- and selenoether nickel complexes

Four new nickel (II) complexes with bis(benzimidazole)thio- and selenoether-based ligands have been synthesized and characterized in the solid state by elemental analysis, IR, magnetic susceptibility and X-ray crystallography, and in solution by FAB⁺ mass spectrometry, UV-vis spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis of the compounds revealed octahedral geometries for all nickel centers. Three of the four complexes are dimers with chloride bridges between the two Ni(II) ions. However, in solution all complexes have a monomeric formulation, based on mass spectrometry and osmometry measurements. The complexes were also screened for their cytotoxic activity on human cell lines (HeLa, SK-LU-1 and HEK-293), and compared with a related Cu(II) complex.

Photocatalytic and electrocatalytic hydrogen production using nickel complexes supported by hemilabile and non-innocent ligands

Nickel complexes with non-innocent ligands generated by one-electron reduction of octahedral Schiff base nickel(ii) complexes with hemilabile ligands exhibited excellent catalytic activities of over 5000 TONs through a metal-ligand cooperation mechanism for hydrogen evolution from water under visible light irradiation.

Recent advances in the mechanisms of the hydrogen evolution reaction by non-innocent sulfur-coordinating metal complexes

This review comments on the homogeneous HER mechanisms for catalysts carrying S-non-innocent ligands in the light of experimental and computational data.

Boosting hydrogen evolution by using covalent frameworks of fluorinated cobalt porphyrins supported on carbon nanotubes

A covalent framework using fluorinated cobalt porphyrins is synthesized and shows significantly improved efficiency for the hydrogen evolution reaction in aqueous solution.