Catalysts capable of efficient conversion between electricalenergy and fuels will be important for a flexible and sustainable energy supplyin the future.  Renewable energysources, such as solar and wind, are intermittent and will require large scaleenergy storage. An attractive approach to storing this energy is the generationof fuels such as hydrogen. In recent work we have developed nickel complexes containingdiphosphine ligands with pendant bases as electrocatalysts for hydrogenoxidation and production.  Thedevelopment of these catalysts has been guided by an understanding of thecontributions of both the first and second coordination spheres of thesecatalysts. Pendant bases incorporated in the second coordination sphere of themolecular catalysts for H2 production and oxidation serve as protonrelays controlling the movement of protons between the metal and acids or basesin solution.  Insights intoadditional roles played by the pendant bases during the catalytic cycles willbe discussed.

Development
of molecular electrocatalysts for hydrogen generation and utilization

241st National Meeting (2011)

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Development of molecular electrocatalysts for hydrogen generation and utilization