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Updated: Mar 28, 2026

The Synthesis, Characterization and Reactivity of a Series of Ruthenium N-triphosPh Complexes
Published on: April 10, 2015
Activating a Low Overpotential CO2 Reduction Mechanism by a Strategic Ligand Modification on a Ruthenium Polypyridyl
Ben A Johnson1, Somnath Maji1, Hemlata Agarwala1
1Department of Chemistry, Ångström Laboratory, Uppsala University, Box 523, 75120, Uppsala, Sweden.
Abstract:
The introduction of a simple methyl substituent on the bipyridine ligand of [Ru(tBu3 tpy)(bpy)(NCCH3 )](2+) (tBu3 tpy=4,4',4''-tri-tert-butyl-2,2':6',2''-terpyridine; bpy=2,2'-bipyridine) gives rise to a highly active electrocatalyst for the reduction of CO2 to CO. The methyl group enables CO2 binding already at the one-electron reduced state of the complex to enter a previously not accessible catalytic cycle that operates at the potential of the first reduction. The complex turns over with a Faradaic efficiency close to unity and at an overpotential that is amongst the lowest ever reported for homogenous CO2 reduction catalysts.
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