Chemist
Chemist

Biography

Eric Wiedner is a synthetic chemist in the Catalysis Sciences group within the Physical Sciences Division at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). His research focuses on the design of molecular catalysts for the interconversion of electrical energy and chemicals, with an emphasis on conversions of dihydrogen, carbon dioxide, formate, alcohols, and ammonia. Major themes of his research include the use of thermodynamic descriptors for predicting new catalysts and balancing the trade-offs between catalytic driving force and rate.

Wiedner is a co-principal investigator in a core Department of Energy Basic Energy Sciences Catalysis Sciences project, the Center for Molecular Electrocatalysis Energy Frontier Research Center, and other catalysis projects. His primary areas of expertise are catalyst design and synthesis, electrochemical methods for kinetic and mechanistic analysis, and thermochemical measurements of bond strengths.

Research Interest

  • Molecular (electro)catalysis for sustainable chemistry and energy storage
  • Mechanisms of chemical reactions and catalytic transformations
  • Thermodynamics and kinetics of hydride transfer

Education

  • PhD in inorganic chemistry, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
  • MS in chemistry, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
  • BS in chemistry, Missouri University of Science and Technology

Affiliations and Professional Service

  • American Chemical Society (ACS)

Awards and Recognitions

  • Corecipient of the ACS Catalysis Lectureship for the Advancement of Catalytic Science, awarded to the PNNL hydrogen catalysis team (2015)

Publications

2022

  • Gunasekara, B., Y. Tong, A. L. Speelman, J. D. Erickson, A. M. Appel, M. B. Hall, and E. S. Wiedner. 2022. “Role of High-Spin Species and Pendant Amines in Electrocatalytic Alcohol Oxidation by a Nickel Phosphine Complex.” ACS Catalysis 12 (5): 2729–2740. PNNL-SA-168765. doi:10.1021/acscatal.1c05509
  • Speelman, A. L., J. B. Gerken, S. P. Heins, E. S. Wiedner, S. S. Stahl, and A. M. Appel. 2022. “Determining Overpotentials for the Oxidation of Alcohols by Molecular Electrocatalysts in Non-aqueous Solvents.” Energy & Environmental Science 15 (10): 4015–4024. PNNL-SA-170546. doi:10.1039/d2ee01458k.
  • Wiedner, E. S., A. M. Appel, S. Raugei, W. J. Shaw, and R. M. Bullock. 2022. “Molecular Catalysts with Diphosphine Ligands Containing Pendant Amines.” Chemical Reviews 122 (14): 12427–12474. PNNL-SA-168825. doi:10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c01001.

2021

  • DuBois, D. L., E. S. Wiedner, and R. M. Bullock. 2021. “Coordination Chemistry of Phosphine Ligands with Pendant Amines.” In Comprehensive Coordination Chemistry III, edited by E. Constable, G. Parkin, and L. Que. 90–130. 3rd ed. Amsterdam: Elsevier. PNNL-SA-148047. doi:10.1016/B978-0-08-102688-5.00079-9.
  • Wiedner, E. S., A. Z. Preston, M. L. Helm, and A. M. Appel. 2021. “Thermodynamic Trends for Reduction of CO by Molecular Complexes.” Organometallics 40 (13): 2039–2050. PNNL-SA-160715. doi:10.1021/acs.organomet.1c00178.

2020

  • Erickson, J. D., A. Z. Preston, J. C. Linehan, and E. S. Wiedner. 2020. “Enhanced Hydrogenation of Carbon Dioxide to Methanol by a Ruthenium Complex with a Charged Outer-Coordination Sphere.” ACS Catalysis 10 (13): 7419–7423. PNNL-SA-150983. doi:10.1021/acscatal.0c02268.
  • Tran, B. L., B. D. Neisen, A. L. Speelman, B. Gunasekara, E. S. Wiedner, and R. M. Bullock. 2020. “Mechanistic Studies on the Insertion of Carbonyl Substrates into Cu-H: Different Rate-Limiting Steps as a Function of Electrophilicity.” Angewandte Chemie International Edition 59 (22): 8645–8653. PNNL-SA-150267. doi:10.1002/anie.201916406.
  • Vollmer, M. V., J. Ye, J. C. Linehan, B. J. Graziano, A. Z. Preston, E. S. Wiedner, and C. C. Lu. 2020. “Cobalt-Group 13 Complexes Catalyze CO2 Hydrogenation Using a Co(-I)/Co(I) Redox Cycle.” ACS Catalysis 10 (4): 2459–2470. PNNL-SA-150356. doi:10.1021/acscatal.9b03534.

2019

  • Fourmond, V., E. S. Wiedner, W. J. Shaw, and C. Leger. 2019. “Understanding and Design of Bidirectional and Reversible Catalysts of Multielectron, Multistep Reactions.” Journal of the American Chemical Society 141 (28): 11269–11285. PNNL-SA-140275. doi:10.1021/jacs.9b04854.
  • Johnson S., S. P. Heins, C. Klug, E. S. Wiedner, R. M. Bullock, and S. Raugei. 2019. “Design and reactivity of pentapyridyl metal complexes for ammonia oxidation.” Chemical Communications 55 (35): 5083–5086. PNNL-SA-141391. doi:10.1039/C9CC01249D.
  • Klug C., W. G. Dougherty, W. S. Kassel, and E. S. Wiedner. 2019. “Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Production by a Nickel Complex Containing a Tetradentate Phosphine Ligand.” Organometallics 38 (6): 1269–1279. PNNL-SA-136666. doi:10.1021/acs.organomet.8b00548.
  • Liao Q., L. Liu, S. Johnson, C. Klug, E. S. Wiedner, R. M. Bullock, and D. L. DuBois. 2019. “Evaluation of Attractive Interactions in the Second Coordination Sphere of Iron Complexes Containing Pendant Amines.” Dalton Transactions 48 (15): 4867–4878. PNNL-SA-141710. doi:10.1039/c9dt00708c.
  • Wiedner, E. S. 2019. “Thermodynamic Hydricity of [FeFe]-Hydrogenases.” Journal of the American Chemical Society 141 (18): 7212–7222. PNNL-SA-140083. doi:10.1021/jacs.8b13084.

2018

  • Chambers, G. M., E. S. Wiedner, and R. M. Bullock. 2018. “H2 Oxidation Electrocatalysis Enabled by Metal-to-Metal Hydrogen Atom Transfer: A Homolytic Approach to a Heterolytic Reaction.” Angewandte Chemie International Edition 57 (41): 13523–13527. PNNL-SA-131196. doi:10.1002/anie.201807510.
  • Klug C., A. P. Cardenas, R. M. Bullock, M. J. O'Hagan, and E. S. Wiedner. 2018. “Reversing the Tradeoff between Rate and Overpotential in Molecular Electrocatalysts for H2 Production.” ACS Catalysis 8 (4): 3286–3296. PNNL-SA-130125. doi:10.1021/acscatal.7b04379.
  • Wiedner E. S. and J. C. Linehan. 2018. “Making a Splash in Homogeneous CO2 Hydrogenation: Elucidating the Impact of Solvent on Catalytic Mechanisms.” Chemistry - A European Journal 24 (64): 16964–16971. PNNL-SA-133770. doi:10.1002/chem.201801759.
  • Wiedner, E. S. and K. L. Manke. 2018. “A Science Shortr: When a Catalyst Takes the Plunge.” Transformations January 2018 (15). PNNL-SA-131839.

2017

  • Bhattacharya, P., Z. M. Heiden, E. S. Wiedner, S. Raugei, N. A. Piro, W. S. Kassel, and R. M. Bullock, et al. 2017. “Ammonia Oxidation by Abstraction of Three Hydrogen Atoms from a Mo-NH3 Complex.” Journal of the American Chemical Society 139 (8): 2916–2919. PNNL-SA-121628. doi:10.1021/jacs.7b00002.
  • Burgess, S. A., A. M. Appel, J. C. Linehan, and E. S. Wiedner. 2017. “Changing the Mechanism for CO2 Hydrogenation Using Solvent-Dependent Thermodynamics.” Angewandte Chemie International Edition 56 (47): 15002–15005. PNNL-SA-128948. doi:10.1002/anie.201709319.
  • Burgess S. A., K. Grubel, A. M. Appel, E. S. Wiedner, and J. C. Linehan. 2017. “Hydrogenation of CO2 at Room Temperature and Low Pressure with a Cobalt Tetraphosphine Catalyst.” Inorganic Chemistry 56 (14): 8580–8589. PNNL-SA-124385. doi:10.1021/acs.inorgchem.7b01391.
  • Jeletic, M. S., E. Hulley, M. L. Helm, M. T. Mock, A. M. Appel, E. S. Wiedner, and J. C. Linehan. 2017. “Understanding the Relationship Between Kinetics and Thermodynamics in CO2 Hydrogenation Catalysis.” ACS Catalysis 7 (9): 6008–6017. PNNL-SA-125045. doi:10.1021/acscatal.7b01673.
  • Klug C., M. J. O'Hagan, R. M. Bullock, A. M. Appel, and E. S. Wiedner. 2017. “Impact of Weak Agostic Interactions in Nickel Electrocatalysts for Hydrogen Oxidation.” Organometallics 36 (12): 2275–2284. PNNL-SA-123737. doi:10.1021/acs.organomet.7b00103.
  • Prokopchuk D. E., E. S. Wiedner, E. D. Walter, C. V. Popescu, N. A. Piro, W. S. Kassel, and R. M. Bullock, et al. 2017. “Catalytic N2 Reduction to Silylamines and Thermodynamics of N2 Binding at Square Planar Fe.” Journal of the American Chemical Society 139 (27): 9291–9301. PNNL-SA-125864. doi:10.1021/jacs.7b04552.

2016

  • Egbert, J. D., M. J. O'Hagan, E. S. Wiedner, R. M. Bullock, N. A. Piro, W. S. Kassel, and M. T. Mock. 2016. “Putting Chromium on the Map for N2 Reduction: Production of Hydrazine and Ammonia. A Study of cis-M(N2)2 (M = Cr, Mo, W) Bis(diphosphine) Complexes.” Chemical Communications 52 (62): 9343–9346. PNNL-SA-116792. doi:10.1039/C6CC03449G.
  • Raugei, S., M. L. Helm, S. Hammes-Schiffer, A. M. Appel, M. J. O’Hagan, E. S. Wiedner, and R. M. Bullock. 2016. “Experimental and Computational Mechanistic Studies Guiding the Rational Design of Molecular Electrocatalysts for Production and Oxidation of Hydrogen.” Inorganic Chemistry 55 (2): 445–460. PNNL-SA-113594. doi:10.1021/acs.inorgchem.5b02262.
  • Raugei, S., M. L. Helm, S. Hammes-Schiffer, A. M. Appel, M. J. O’Hagan, E. S. Wiedner, and R. M. Bullock. 2016. “Experimental and Computational Mechanistic Studies Guiding the Rational Design of Molecular Electrocatalysts for Production and Oxidation of Hydrogen.” Inorganic Chemistry 55 (2):445–460. PNNL-SA-114545. doi:10.1021/acs.inorgchem.5b02262.
  • Wiedner, E. S. and R. M. Bullock. 2016. “Electrochemical Detection of Transient Cobalt Hydride Intermediates of Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Production.” Journal of the American Chemical Society 138 (26): 8309–8318. PNNL-SA-105261. doi:10.1021/jacs.6b04779.
  • Wiedner, E. S., H. J. Brown, and M. L. Helm. 2016. “Kinetic Analysis of Competitive Electrocatalytic Pathways: New Insights into Hydrogen Production with Nickel Electrocatalysts.” Journal of the American Chemical Society 138 (2): 604–616. PNNL-SA-113975. doi:10.1021/jacs.5b10853.
  • Wiedner, E. S., M. B. Chambers, C. L. Pitman, R. M. Bullock, A. J. Miller, and A. M. Appel. 2016. “Thermodynamic Hydricity of Transition Metal Hydrides.” Chemical Reviews 116 (15): 8655–8692. PNNL-SA-116484. doi:10.1021/acs.chemrev.6b00168.

2015

  • Connelly, S. J., E. S. Wiedner, and A. M. Appel. 2015. “Predicting the Reactivity of Hydride Donors in Water: Thermodynamic Constants for Hydrogen.” Dalton Transactions 44 (13): 5933–5938. PNNL-SA-105710. doi:10.1039/C4DT03841J.
  • Ho, M., R. J. Rousseau, J. A. Roberts, E. S. Wiedner, M. Dupuis, D. L. DuBois, and R. M. Bullock, et al. 2015. “Ab Initio-Based Kinetic Modeling for the Design of Molecular Catalysts: the Case of H2 Production Electrocatalysts.” ACS Catalysis 5 (9): 5436–5452. PNNL-SA-110596. doi:10.1021/acscatal.5b01152.
  • Kochem, A., M. J. O’Hagan, E. S. Wiedner, and M. van Gastel. 2015. “Combined Spectroscopic and Electrochemical Detection of a NiI···H-N Bonding Interaction with Relevance to Electrocatalytic H2 Production.” Chemistry - A European Journal 21 (29): 10338–10347. PNNL-SA-108500. doi:10.1002/chem.201500954.
  • Weiss C. J., E. S. Wiedner, J. A. Roberts, and A. M. Appel. 2015. “Nickel Phosphine Catalysts with Pendant Amines for Electrocatalytic Oxidation of Alcohols.” Chemical Communications 51 (28): 6172–6174. PNNL-SA-107999. doi:10.1039/C5CC01107H.

2014

  • Fang, M., E. S. Wiedner, W. G. Dougherty, W. S. Kassel, T. L. Liu, D. L. DuBois, and R. M. Bullock. 2014. “Cobalt Complexes Containing Pendant Amines in the Second Coordination Sphere as Electrocatalysts for H2 Production.” Organometallics 33 (20): 5820–5833. PNNL-SA-102355. doi:10.1021/om5004607.
  • Galan, B. R., E. S. Wiedner, M. L. Helm, J. C. Linehan, and A. M. Appel. 2014. “Effects of Phosphine-Carbene Substitutions on the Electrochemical and Thermodynamic Properties of Nickel Complexes.” Organometallics 33 (9): 2287–2294. PNNL-SA-97196. doi:10.1021/om500206e.
  • Wiedner, E. S. and A. M. Appel. 2014. “Thermochemical Insight into the Reduction of CO to CH3OH with [Re(CO)]+ and [Mn(CO)]+ Complexes.” Journal of the American Chemical Society 136 (24): 8661–8668. PNNL-SA-101312. doi:10.1021/ja502316e.
  • Wiedner, E. S. and M. L. Helm. 2014. “Comparison of [Ni(PPh2NPh2)2(CH3CN)]2+ and [Pd(PPh2NPh2)2]2+ as Electrocatalysts for H2 Production.” Organometallics 33 (18): 4617–4620. PNNL-SA-99201. doi:10.1021/om4010669.

2013

  • Wiedner, E. S., A. M. Appel, D. L. DuBois, and R. M. Bullock. 2013. “Thermochemical and Mechanistic Studies of Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Production by Cobalt Complexes Containing Pendant Amines.” Inorganic Chemistry 52 (24): 14391–14403. PNNL-SA-98467. doi:10.1021/ic4025475.
  • Wiedner, E. S., J. A. Roberts, W. G. Dougherty, W. S. Kassel, D. L. DuBois, and R.M. Bullock. 2013. “Synthesis and Electrochemical Studies of Cobalt(III) Monohydride Complexes Containing Pendant Amines.” Inorganic Chemistry 52 (17): 9975–9988. PNNL-SA-95739. doi:10.1021/ic401232g.

2012

  • Wiedner, E. S., J. Y. Yang, S. Chen, S. Raugei, W. G. Dougherty, W. S. Kassel, and M. L. Helm, et al. 2012. “Stabilization of Nickel Complexes with Ni0···H-N Bonding Interactions Using Sterically Demanding Cyclic Diphosphine Ligands.” Organometallics 31 (1): 144–156. PNNL-SA-81603. doi:10.1021/om200709z.

2010

  • Wiedner, E. S., J. Y. Yang, W. G. Dougherty, W. S. Kassel, R. M. Bullock, M. Rakowski DuBois, and D. L. DuBois. 2010. “Comparison of Cobalt and Nickel Complexes with Sterically Demanding Cyclic Diphosphine Ligands: Electrocatalytic H2 Production by [Co(PtBu2NPh2)(CH3CN)3](BF4)2.” Organometallics 29 (21): 5390–5401. PNNL-SA-72956. doi:10.1021/om100395r.