Mechanistic insights into the electrochemical reduction of CO₂ to CO on Ni(salphen) complexes

Abstract

Cyclic voltammetry and bulk electrolysis showed that [Ni(II)(salphen)] [1], [Ni(II)(tBu-salphen)] [2], and a binuclear Ni(II) compound combining salphen and tBu-salphen [3] react with CO2 to yield a metal-carbonyl species that...

Carbon Dioxide Electroreduction and Formic Acid Oxidation by Formal Nickel(I) Complexes of Di‐isopropylphenyl Bis‐iminoacenaphthene

“…[22,23] As a rule, molecular nickel-based electrocatalysts typically convert CO 2 into CO/H 2 O, CO 3 2À , or C 2 O 4 2À with either high or moderate faradaic efficiency. [24][25][26][27][28][29][30] As is known, the reaction of reducing CO 2 to CH 4 requires four electrons and four protons. Moreover, the potential of this reaction is high and lies within the area of the competition reaction, i. e., hydrogen evolution.…”

“…However, homogeneous Ni–based electrocatalysts with the capability to convert CO 2 into CH 4 are exceptionally rare [22,23] . As a rule, molecular nickel–based electrocatalysts typically convert CO 2 into CO/H 2 O, CO 3 2− , or C 2 O 4 2− with either high or moderate faradaic efficiency [24–30] …”