Manganese( i ) tricarbonyl complexes such as [Mn(bpy)(CO) 3 L] (L = Br, or CN) are known to be electrocatalysts for CO 2 reduction to CO. However, due to their rapid photodegradation under UV and visible light, these monomeric manganese complexes have not been considered as photocatalysts for CO 2 reduction without the use of a photosensitizer. In this paper, we report a cyanide-bridged di-manganese complex, {[Mn(bpy)(CO) 3 ] 2 (μ-CN)}ClO 4 , which is both electrocatalytic and photochemically active for CO 2 reduction to CO. Compared to the [Mn(bpy)(CO) 3 CN] electrocatalyst, our CN-bridged binuclear complex is a more efficient electrocatalyst for CO 2 reduction using H 2 O as a proton source. In addition, we report a photochemical CO 2 reduction to CO using the dimanganese complex under 395 nm irradiation.
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Reduction-induced CO dissociation by a [Mn(bpy)(CO) 4 ][SbF 6 ] complex and its relevance in electrocatalytic CO 2 reduction
[Mn(bpy)(CO) 3 Br] is recognized as a benchmark electrocatalyst for CO 2 reduction to CO, with the doubly reduced [Mn(bpy)(CO) 3 ] − proposed to be the active species in the catalytic mechanism. The reaction of this intermediate with CO 2 and two protons is expected to produce the tetracarbonyl cation, [Mn(bpy)(CO) 4 ] + , thereby closing the catalytic cycle. However, this species has not been experimentally observed. In this study, [Mn(bpy)(CO) 4 ][SbF 6 ] ( 1 ) was directly synthesized and found to be an efficient electrocatalyst for the reduction of CO 2 to CO in the presence of H 2 O. Complex 1 was characterized using X-ray crystallography as well as IR and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The redox activity of 1 was determined using cyclic voltammetry and compared with that of benchmark manganese complexes, e.g. , [Mn(bpy)(CO) 3 Br] ( 2 ) and [Mn(bpy)(CO) 3 (MeCN)][PF 6 ] ( 3 ). Infrared spectroscopic analyses indicated that CO dissociation occurs after a single-electron reduction of complex 1 , producing a [Mn(bpy)(CO) 3 (MeCN)] + species. Complex 1 was experimentally verified as both a precatalyst and an on-cycle intermediate in homogeneous Mn-based electrocatalytic CO 2 reduction.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1800400
- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10167520
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Dalton Transactions
- Volume:
- 49
- Issue:
- 3
- ISSN:
- 1477-9226
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 891 to 900
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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Abstract A series of molecular Mn catalysts featuring aniline groups in the second‐coordination sphere has been developed for electrochemical and photochemical CO2reduction. The arylamine moieties were installed at the 6 position of 2,2’‐bipyridine (bpy) to generate a family of isomers in which the primary amine is located at the
ortho‐ (1‐Mn ),meta‐ (2‐Mn ), orpara‐ site (3‐Mn ) of the aniline ring. The proximity of the second‐sphere functionality to the active site is a critical factor in determining catalytic performance. Catalyst1‐Mn , possessing the shortest distance between the amine and the active site, significantly outperformed the rest of the series and exhibited a 9‐fold improvement in turnover frequency relative to parent catalyst Mn(bpy)(CO)3Br (901 vs. 102 s−1, respectively) at 150 mV lower overpotential. The electrocatalysts operated with high faradaic efficiencies (≥70 %) for CO evolution using trifluoroethanol as a proton source. Notably, under photocatalytic conditions, a concentration‐dependent shift in product selectivity from CO (at high [catalyst]) to HCO2H (at low [catalyst]) was observed with turnover numbers up to 4760 for formic acid and high selectivities for reduced carbon products. -
The complex, [{[Mn(bpy)(CO) 3 ] 2 }(μ-CN)] + (Mn2CN+), has previously been shown to photochemically reduce CO 2 to CO. The detailed mechanism behind its reactivity was not elucidated. Herein, the photoevolution of this reaction is studied in acetonitrile (MeCN) using IR and UV-vis spectroscopy. Samples were excited into the Mn I → π* bpy metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) absorption band triggering CO loss, and rapid MeCN solvent ligation at the open coordination site. It is concluded that this process occurs selectively at the Mn axial ligation site that is trans to the C-end of the bridging cyanide. Upon further photolysis, the metal–metal bonded dimeric species, [(CO) 3 (bpy)Mn–Mn(bpy)(CO) 3 ] (Mn–Mn) is observed to form under anaerobic conditions. The presence of this dimeric species coincides with the observation of CO production. When oxygen is present, CO 2 photoreduction does not occur, which is attributed to the inability of Mn2CN+ to convert to the metal–metal bonded dimer. Photolysis experiments, where the Mn–Mn dimer is formed photochemically under argon first and then exposed to CO 2 , reveal that it is the radical species, [Mn(bpy)(CO) 3 ˙ ] ( Mn˙ ), that interacts with the CO 2 . Since the presence of Mn–Mn and light is required for CO production, [Mn(bpy)(CO) 3 ˙] is proposed to be a photochemical reagent for the transformation of CO 2 to CO.more » « less
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The two-electron and two-proton p -hydroquinone/ p -benzoquinone (H 2 Q/BQ) redox couple has mechanistic parallels to the function of ubiquinone in the electron transport chain. This proton-dependent redox behavior has shown applicability in catalytic aerobic oxidation reactions, redox flow batteries, and co-electrocatalytic oxygen reduction. Under nominally aprotic conditions in non-aqueous solvents, BQ can be reduced by up to two electrons in separate electrochemically reversible reactions. With weak acids (AH) at high concentrations, potential inversion can occur due to favorable hydrogen-bonding interactions with the intermediate monoanion [BQ(AH) m ]˙ − . The solvation shell created by these interactions can mediate a second one-electron reduction coupled to proton transfer at more positive potentials ([BQ(AH) m ]˙ − + n AH + e − ⇌ [HQ(AH) (m+n)−1 (A)] 2− ), resulting in an overall two electron reduction at a single potential at intermediate acid concentrations. Here we show that hydrogen-bonded adducts of reduced quinones and the proton donor 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol (TFEOH) can mediate the transfer of electrons to a Mn-based complex during the electrocatalytic reduction of dioxygen (O 2 ). The Mn electrocatalyst is selective for H 2 O 2 with only TFEOH and O 2 present, however, with BQ present under sufficient concentrations of TFEOH, an electrogenerated [H 2 Q(AH) 3 (A) 2 ] 2− adduct (where AH = TFEOH) alters product selectivity to 96(±0.5)% H 2 O in a co-electrocatalytic fashion. These results suggest that hydrogen-bonded quinone anions can function in an analogous co-electrocatalytic manner to H 2 Q.more » « less
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A critical challenge in electrocatalytic CO2reduction to renewable fuels is product selectivity. Desirable products of CO2reduction require proton equivalents, but key catalytic intermediates can also be competent for direct proton reduction to H2. Understanding how to manage divergent reaction pathways at these shared intermediates is essential to achieving high selectivity. Both proton reduction to hydrogen and CO2reduction to formate generally proceed through a metal hydride intermediate. We apply thermodynamic relationships that describe the reactivity of metal hydrides with H+and CO2to generate a thermodynamic product diagram, which outlines the free energy of product formation as a function of proton activity and hydricity (∆GH−), or hydride donor strength. The diagram outlines a region of metal hydricity and proton activity in which CO2reduction is favorable and H+reduction is suppressed. We apply our diagram to inform our selection of [Pt(dmpe)2](PF6)2as a potential catalyst, because the corresponding hydride [HPt(dmpe)2]+has the correct hydricity to access the region where selective CO2reduction is possible. We validate our choice experimentally; [Pt(dmpe)2](PF6)2is a highly selective electrocatalyst for CO2reduction to formate (>90% Faradaic efficiency) at an overpotential of less than 100 mV in acetonitrile with no evidence of catalyst degradation after electrolysis. Our report of a selective catalyst for CO2reduction illustrates how our thermodynamic diagrams can guide selective and efficient catalyst discovery.
- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.1039/c9dt04150h
