More Like this

1. A cyanide-bridged di-manganese carbonyl complex that photochemically reduces CO ₂ to CO

   https://doi.org/10.1039/C8DT03358G  

   Kuo, Hsin-Ya ; Lee, Tia S. ; Chu, An T. ; Tignor, Steven E. ; Scholes, Gregory D. ; Bocarsly, Andrew B. ( January 2019 , Dalton Transactions)

   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.
2. Elucidating the mechanism of photochemical CO ₂ reduction to CO using a cyanide-bridged di-manganese complex

   https://doi.org/10.1039/d2dt02506j  

   Cohen, Kailyn Y. ; Reinhold, Adam ; Evans, Rebecca ; Lee, Tia S. ; Kuo, Hsin-Ya ; Nedd, Delaan G. ; Scholes, Gregory D. ; Bocarsly, Andrew B. ( November 2022 , Dalton Transactions)

   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 presencemore »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.« less
3. Non-covalent assembly of proton donors and p- benzoquinone anions for co-electrocatalytic reduction of dioxygen

   https://doi.org/10.1039/D1SC01271A  

   Hooe, Shelby L. ; Cook, Emma N. ; Reid, Amelia G. ; Machan, Charles W. ( July 2021 , Chemical Science)

   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 sufficientmore »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.« less
4. A systematic study of the influence of ligand field on the slow magnetic dynamics of Co( ii )-diimine compounds

   https://doi.org/10.1039/D0DT01597K  

   Bhowmick, Indrani ; Newell, Brian S. ; Shores, Matthew P. ( August 2021 , Dalton Transactions)

   Herein we report heteroleptic Co( ii ) diimine complexes [Co(H 2 bip) 2 Cl 2 ] ( 1 ), [Co(H 2 bip) 2 Br 2 ] ( 2 ), [Co(H 2 bip) 3 ]Br 2 ·1MeOH ( 3 ) and [Co(H 2 bip) 2 (Me 2 bpy)]Br 2 ·(MeCN) 0.5 ·(H 2 O) 0.25 ( 4 ) (H 2 bip = 2,2′-bi-1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidine, bpy = 2,2′-dipyridyl, Me 2 bpy = 4,4′-Me-2,2′-dipyridyl), purposefully prepared to enable a systematic study of magnetic property changes arising from the increase of overall ligand field from σ/π-donor chlorido ( 1 ) to π-acceptor 4,4′Me-2,2′bpy ( 4 ). The presence of axial and rhombic anisotropy ( D and E ) of these compounds is sufficient to allow 1–4 to show field-induced slow relaxation of magnetization. Interestingly, we found as the effective ligand field is increased in the series, rhombicity ( E / D ) decreases, and the magnetic relaxation profile changes significantly, where relaxation of magnetization at a specific temperature becomes gradually faster. We performed mechanistic analyses of the temperature dependence of magnetic relaxation times considering Orbach relaxation processes, Raman-like relaxation and quantum tunnelling of magnetization (QTM). The effective energy barrier of the Orbach relaxation process (more »U eff ) is largest in compound 1 (19.2 cm −1 ) and gradually decreases in the order 1 > 2 > 3 > 4 giving a minimum value in compound 4 (8.3 cm −1 ), where the Raman-like mechanism showed the possibility of different types of phonon activity below and above ∼2.5 K. As a precursor of 1 , the tetrahedral complex [Co(H 2 bip)Cl 2 ] ( 1a ) was also synthesized and structurally and magnetically characterized: this compound exhibits slow relaxation of magnetization under an applied dc field (1800 Oe) with a record slow relaxation time of 3.39 s at 1.8 K.« less
5. Directing the reactivity of metal hydrides for selective CO ₂ reduction

   https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1811396115  

   Ceballos, Bianca M. ; Yang, Jenny Y. ( November 2018 , Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences)

   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 (∆G_H−), 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 illustratesmore »how our thermodynamic diagrams can guide selective and efficient catalyst discovery.

   « less