Dinuclear Manganese Carbonyl Complexes: Electrocatalytic Reduction of Protons to Dihydrogen

Abstract

AbstractStudies on Mn complexes as electrocatalysts for proton reduction are limited. Mostly Mn complexes have been investigated for CO2 activation. Hence, hydrogen production by three Mn complexes [(Mn(CO)3(μ‐SN2C7H5))2] 1, [(Mn(CO)3(μ‐S2NC7H4))2] 3 and [Mn2(CO)7(μ‐S2NC7H4)2] 4 is reported in the paper. The complexes 1, 3 and 4 effectively catalyzed electrochemical proton reduction in CH3CN with trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) as the proton source. Complexes 1, 3 and 4 displayed turnover frequency (TOF / s−1) (overpotential, η / V) of 358 (0.83), 111 (0.79) and 102 (0.77), respectively for the catalytic process.