A water-soluble dinuclear copper electrocatalyst, [Cu(oxpn)Cu(OH)2] for both water reduction and oxidation

Abstract

ABSTRACT The reaction of N,N′-bis(3-aminopropyl) oxamido ligand (oxpn) and Cu(OH) 2 affords a dinuclear copper(II) complex, Cu(oxpn)Cu(OH) 2 1 , a molecular electrocatalyst for both water reduction and oxidation. Water oxidation occurs at an overpotential of 0.289 V with a turnover frequency (TOF) of ∼6.7 s −1 . Water reduction occurs with a TOF of 1383 moles of hydrogen per mole of catalyst per hour at an overpotential of 0.689 V (pH 7.0). Sustained water reduction catalysis occurs at glassy carbon (GC) to give H 2 over a 72 h electrolysis period with 97.4% Faradaic yield and no observable decomposition of the catalyst.