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Title: Facile electrocatalytic proton reduction by a [Fe–Fe]-hydrogenase bio-inspired synthetic model bearing a terminal CN ligand

Journal Article · · Chemical Science
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/d3sc05397k · OSTI ID:2337820
ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [1];  [1];  [1];  [2]; ORCiD logo [3];  [4];  [1];  [1]
  1. Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS), Kolkata (India)
  2. Univ. of California, Davis, CA (United States)
  3. Univ. of California, Davis, CA (United States); SETI Institute, Mountain View, CA (United States)
  4. Univ. of California, Davis, CA (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); SETI Institute, Mountain View, CA (United States)

An azadithiolate bridged CN bound pentacarbonyl bis-iron complex, mimicking the active site of [Fe–Fe] H2ase is synthesized. The geometric and electronic structure of this complex is elucidated using a combination of EXAFS analysis, infrared and Mössbauer spectroscopy and DFT calculations. The electrochemical investigations show that complex 1 effectively reduces H+ to H2 between pH 0–3 at diffusion-controlled rates (1011 M—1 s—1) i.e. 108 s—1 at pH 3 with an overpotential of 140 mV. Electrochemical analysis and DFT calculations suggests that a CN— ligand increases the pKa of the cluster enabling hydrogen production from its Fe(I)–Fe(0) state at pHs much higher and overpotential much lower than its precursor bis-iron hexacarbonyl model which is active in its Fe(0)–Fe(0) state. The formation of a terminal Fe–H species, evidenced by spectroelectrochemistry in organic solvent, via a rate determining proton coupled electron transfer step and protonation of the adjacent azadithiolate, lowers the kinetic barrier leading to diffusion controlled rates of H2 evolution. The stereo-electronic factors enhance its catalytic rate by 3 order of magnitude relative to a bis-iron hexacarbonyl precursor at the same pH and potential.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC), Menlo Park, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-05CH11231
OSTI ID:
2337820
Journal Information:
Chemical Science, Journal Name: Chemical Science Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 15; ISSN 2041-6520
Publisher:
Royal Society of ChemistryCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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