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Title: Role of pendant proton relays and proton-coupled electron transfer on the hydrogen evolution reaction by nickel hangman porphyrins

Journal Article · · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

Here, the hangman motif provides mechanistic insights into the role of pendant proton relays in governing proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) involved in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). We now show improved HER activity of Ni compared with Co hangman porphyrins. Cyclic voltammogram data and simulations, together with computational studies using density functional theory, implicate a shift in electrokinetic zone between Co and Ni hangman porphyrins due to a change in the PCET mechanism. Unlike the Co hangman porphyrin, the Ni hangman porphyrin does not require reduction to the formally metal(0) species before protonation by weak acids in acetonitrile. We conclude that protonation likely occurs at the Ni(I) state followed by reduction, in a stepwise proton transfer–electron transfer pathway. Spectroelectrochemical and computational studies reveal that upon reduction of the Ni(II) compound, the first electron is transferred to a metal-based orbital, whereas the second electron is transferred to a molecular orbital on the porphyrin ring.

Research Organization:
Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0009758
OSTI ID:
1348826
Journal Information:
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Vol. 111, Issue 42; ISSN 0027-8424
Publisher:
National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC (United States)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 148 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cited By (22)

Singly versus Doubly Reduced Nickel Porphyrins for Proton Reduction: Experimental and Theoretical Evidence for a Homolytic Hydrogen-Evolution Reaction journal March 2016
Cooperative water oxidation catalysis in a series of trinuclear metallosupramolecular ruthenium macrocycles journal January 2017
A polypyridyl Co( ii ) complex-based water reduction catalyst with double H 2 evolution sites journal January 2016
Proton switching as a driving force for the metal–organic complex-mediated growth of gold colloids journal January 2016
Graphene-Supported Pyrene-Modified Cobalt Corrole with Axial Triphenylphosphine for Enhanced Hydrogen Evolution in pH 0-14 Aqueous Solutions journal September 2017
Supramolecular Porphyrin Cages Assembled at Molecular–Materials Interfaces for Electrocatalytic CO Reduction journal September 2017
Electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution with gallium hydride and ligand-centered reduction journal January 2019
Remote ion-pair interactions in Fe-porphyrin-based molecular catalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction journal January 2019
Cobalt-based molecular electrocatalysis of nitrile reduction: evolving sustainability beyond hydrogen journal January 2019
Electrochemical and spectroscopic methods for evaluating molecular electrocatalysts journal May 2017
Enhancing the reactivity of nickel( ii ) in hydrogen evolution reactions (HERs) by β-hydrogenation of porphyrinoid ligands journal January 2017
Reversible intramolecular hydrogen transfer: a completely new mechanism for low impact sensitivity of energetic materials journal January 2019
Singly versus Doubly Reduced Nickel Porphyrins for Proton Reduction: Experimental and Theoretical Evidence for a Homolytic Hydrogen-Evolution Reaction journal March 2016
Accelerating proton-coupled electron transfer of metal hydrides in catalyst model reactions journal July 2018
A molecular approach to an electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction on single-layer graphene journal January 2017
Ligand‐Based PCET Reduction in a Heteroleptic Ni(bpy)(dithiolene) Electrocatalyst Giving Rise to Higher Metal Basicity Required for Hydrogen Evolution journal April 2019
Hydrogen gas generation using a metal-free fluorinated porphyrin journal January 2018
Experimental and Theoretical Study of Photochemical Hydrogen Evolution Catalyzed by Paddlewheel‐Type Dirhodium Complexes with Electron Withdrawing Carboxylate Ligands journal October 2019
Importance of proton-coupled electron transfer in cathodic regeneration of organic hydrides journal January 2019
Hydrogen evolution by cobalt hangman porphyrins under operating conditions studied by vibrational spectro-electrochemistry journal January 2018
Electro- and Solar-Driven Fuel Synthesis with First Row Transition Metal Complexes journal October 2018
A comparative study of electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution by iron complexes of corrole and porphyrin from acetic acid and water journal February 2019


Figures / Tables (10)