A new cobalt 5,15-bis(perfluorophenyl)-10-(4-N-(triphenylphosphoranylidene)-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorophenyl) corrole complex (Co-BPNC-PPh3) containing –N=PPh3 group has been prepared by Staudinger reaction and characterized by the single-crystal X-ray structure determination. The electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) of Co-BPNC-PPh3 by using acetic acid (AcOH), trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) and p-toluenesulfonic acid (TsOH) as proton sources in N, N-dimethylformamide (DMF) solvent had been investigated. The turn-over frequency (TOF) value of Co-BPNC-PPh3 was observed 450 h−1 at an overpotential of 838 mV in neutral aqueous solution, showing excellent electrocatalytic HER activity. This Co-BPNC-PPh3 exhibited excellent durability and stability in the 5-hours electrolysis. Its activity is also better than cobalt 5, 10, 15-(tris-pentatfulorophenyl) corrole (Co-TPFC-PPh3), which may be ascribed to the –N=PPh3 proton relay effect in the electrocatalytic HER.
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