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Updated: Apr 19, 2026

Synthesis and Performance Characterizations of Transition Metal Single Atom Catalyst for Electrochemical CO2 Reduction
Published on: April 10, 2018
Ligand transformations and efficient proton/water reduction with cobalt catalysts based on pentadentate pyridine-rich
Debashis Basu1, Shivnath Mazumder, Xuetao Shi
1Department of Chemistry, Wayne State University, 5101 Cass Ave, Detroit, MI 48202 (USA) http://chem.wayne.edu/veranigroup/
Abstract:
A series of cobalt complexes with pentadentate pyridine-rich ligands is studied. An initial Co(II) amine complex 1 is prone to aerial oxidation yielding a Co(III) imine complex 2 that is further converted into an amide complex 4 in presence of adventitious water. Introduction of an N-methyl protecting group to the ligand inhibits this oxidation and gives rise to the Co(II) species 5. Both the Co(III) 4 and Co(II) 5 show electrocatalytic H2 generation in weakly acidic media as well as in water. Mechanisms of catalysis seem to involve the protonation of a Co(II)-H species generated in situ.
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