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Updated: Jun 23, 2025

Synthesis and Performance Characterizations of Transition Metal Single Atom Catalyst for Electrochemical CO2 Reduction
Published on: April 10, 2018
Electrocatalytic formate and alcohol oxidation by hydride transfer at first-row transition metal complexes
Navar M White1, Kate M Waldie1
1Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 123 Bevier Road, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA. kate.waldie@rutgers.edu.
Abstract:
The electrocatalytic oxidation of carbon-based liquid fuels, such as formic acid and alcohols, has important applications for our renewable energy transition. Molecular electrocatalysts based on transition metal complexes provide the opportunity to explore the interplay between precise catalyst design and electrocatalytic activity. Recent advances have seen the development of first-row transition metal electrocatalysts for these transformations that operate via hydride transfer between the substrate and catalyst. In this Frontier article, we present the key contributions to this field and discuss the proposed mechanisms for each case. These studies also reveal the remaining challenges for formate and alcohol oxidation with first-row transition metal systems, for which we provide perspectives on future directions for next-generation electrocatalyst design.
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