Comparison of [Ni(PPh2NPh2)2(CH3CN)]2+ and [Pd(PPh2NPh2)2]2+ as Electrocatalysts for H2 Production

Abstract

The complexes [Ni(PPh2NPh2)2(CH3CN)]2+ and [Pd(PPh2NPh2)2]2+, where PPh2NPh2 is 1,5-diphenyl-3,7-diphenyl-1,5-diaza-3,7-diphosphacyclooctane, are compared as electrocatalysts for H2 production under identical experimental conditions. With [(DMF)H]+ as the acid in acetonitrile solution, [Pd(PPh2NPh2)2]2+ afforded a turnover frequency (TOF) of 230 s–1 for formation of H2 under dry conditions and a TOF of 640 s–1 when H2O was added. These rates are similar to the TOFs of 590 s–1 (dry) and 720 s–1 (wet) that were previously measured for [Ni(PPh2NPh2)2(CH3CN)]2+ using [(DMF)H]+. The [Ni(PPh2NPh2)2(CH3CN)]2+ and [Pd(PPh2NPh2)2]2+ complexes both exhibited large current enhancements when treated with trifluoroacetic acid (TFA). At a TFA concentration of 1.8 M, TOF values of 5670 and 2060 s–1 were measured for [Ni(PPh2NPh2)2(CH3CN)]2+ and [Pd(PPh2NPh2)2]2+, respectively. The fast rates observed using TFA are, in part, attributed to homoconjugation of TFA in acetonitrile solutions, which decreases the effective pKaMeCN of the acid. In support of this hypothesis, dramatically lower rates of H2 production were observed using p-anisidinium, which has a pKaMeCN value comparable to that of TFA but does not homoconjugate significantly in acetonitrile solutions.