Research in the Marinescu group focuses on fundamental research to understand, design, and synthesize novel catalytic systems essential to the development of efficient solar-to-fuel technologies. Inspired by biological systems, we design molecular catalysts that incorporate hydrogen bonding networks or multi-metallic motifs capable of small molecule activation through multiple proton and electron transfers. We have shown that cobalt complexes with pendant secondary amine (NH) moieties act as highly efficient electrocatalysts for the reduction of CO2 to CO, in comparison to the alkylated versions. We have recently synthesized a series of Co-centered CO2-to-CO reduction catalysts, with 0 to 4 pendant secondary amines. This study allowed us to understand that the role of the pendant amines is to facilitate a hydrogen-bonding network that enables direct proton transfer from acid to the activated CO2 substrate, providing a relevant model for biological systems.

Cobalt catalysts with pendant hydrogen-bond donors for electrocatalytic CO2 reduction

2019 Spring National Meeting

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