PNNL

Abstract

Phosphine ligands with pendant amines have played an important role in the development of molecular electrocatalyst for H2 oxidation and production and for other potential energy storage and utilization reactions, such as CO2 and O2 reduction and NH3 oxidation. The pendant amines facilitate substrate binding, heterolytic bond cleavage and formation, intra- and intermolecular proton transfers, the formation of dihydrogen and hydrogen bonds, and provide a physical mechanism for coupling electron and proton transfer reactions. The structures of the phosphine ligands determine the ability of the pendant amines to participate in these different catalytic steps and the stability of the electrocatalysts as they are cycled between different oxidation states. These different features are illustrated by a detailed comparison of Mn, Fe, and Ni electrocatalysts for H2 oxidation that contain diphosphine ligands with pendant amines.