Smaranda C. Marinescu

Earth-abundant hydrogen evolution electrocatalysts

Splitting water to hydrogen and oxygen is a promising approach for storing energy from intermittent renewables, such as solar power. Efficient, scalable solar-driven electrolysis devices require active electrocatalysts made from earth-abundant elements. In this mini-review, we discuss recent investigations of homogeneous and heterogeneous hydrogen evolution electrocatalysts, with emphasis on our own work on cobalt and iron complexes and nickel-molybdenum alloys.

Molecular mechanisms of cobalt-catalyzed hydrogen evolution

Several cobalt complexes catalyze the evolution of hydrogen from acidic solutions, both homogeneously and at electrodes. The detailed molecular mechanisms of these transformations remain unresolved, largely owing to the fact that key reactive intermediates have eluded detection. One method of stabilizing reactive intermediates involves minimizing the overall reaction free-energy change. Here, we report a new cobalt(I) complex that reacts with tosylic acid to evolve hydrogen with a driving force of just 30 meV/Co. Protonation of CoI produces a transient CoIII-H complex that was characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The CoIII-H intermediate decays by second-order kinetics with an inverse dependence on acid concentration. Analysis of the kinetics suggests that CoIII-H produces hydrogen by two competing pathways: a slower homolytic route involving two CoIII-H species and a dominant heterolytic channel in which a highly reactive CoII-H transient is generated by CoI reduction of CoIII-H.

Two-Dimensional Metal–Organic Surfaces for Efficient Hydrogen Evolution from Water

Hydrogen production through the reduction of water has emerged as an important strategy for the storage of renewable energy in chemical bonds. One attractive scenario for the construction of efficient devices for electrochemical splitting of water requires the attachment of stable and active hydrogen evolving catalysts to electrode surfaces, which remains a significant challenge. We demonstrate here the successful integration of cobalt dithiolene catalysts into a metal-organic surface to generate very active electrocatalytic cathode materials for hydrogen generation from water. These surfaces display high catalyst loadings and remarkable stability even under very acidic aqueous solutions.

Enantioselective Decarboxylative Alkylation Reactions: Catalyst Development, Substrate Scope, and Mechanistic Studies

α-Quaternary ketones are accessed through novel enantioselective alkylations of allyl and propargyl electrophiles by unstabilized prochiral enolate nucleophiles in the presence of palladium complexes with various phosphinooxazoline (PHOX) ligands. Excellent yields and high enantiomeric excesses are obtained from three classes of enolate precursor: enol carbonates, enol silanes, and racemic β-ketoesters. Each of these substrate classes functions with nearly identical efficiency in terms of yield and enantioselectivity. Catalyst discovery and development, the optimization of reaction conditions, the exploration of reaction scope, and applications in target-directed synthesis are reported. Experimental observations suggest that these alkylation reactions occur through an unusual inner-sphere mechanism involving binding of the prochiral enolate nucleophile directly to the palladium center.

Ethenolysis Reactions Catalyzed by Imido Alkylidene Monoaryloxide Monopyrrolide (MAP) Complexes of Molybdenum

Monoaryloxide-pyrrolide (MAP) olefin metathesis catalysts of molybdenum that contain a chiral bitetralin-based aryloxide ligand are efficient for ethenolysis of methyl oleate, cyclooctene, and cyclopentene. Ethenolysis of 5000 equiv of methyl oleate produced 1-decene (1D) and methyl-9-decenoate (M9D) with a selectivity of >99%, yields up to 95%, and a TON (turnover number) of 4750 in 15 h. Tungstacyclobutane catalysts gave yields approximately half those of molybdenum catalysts, either at room temperature or at 50 degrees C, although selectivity was still >99%. Ethenolysis of 30,000 equiv of cyclooctene to 1,9-decadiene could be carried out with a TON of 22,500 at 20 atm (75% yield), while ethenolysis of 10,000 equiv of cyclopentene to 1,6-heptadiene could be carried out with a TON of 5800 at 20 atm (58% yield). There is no reason to propose that the efficiency of ethenolysis has been maximized with the most successful catalyst reported here.

Efficient Electrochemical and Photoelectrochemical H2 Production from Water by a Cobalt Dithiolene One-Dimensional Metal–Organic Surface

Solar-driven hydrogen evolution from water has emerged as an important methodology for the storage of renewable energy in chemical bonds. Efficient and practical clean-energy devices for electrochemical or photoelectrochemical splitting of water require the immobilization of stable and active hydrogen-evolving catalysts onto electrode or photocathode materials, which remains a significant challenge. Here we show that cobalt(II) reacts with benzene-1,2,4,5-tetrathiol in the presence of base to form a cobalt dithiolene polymer 1. The generated polymer is immobilized onto glassy carbon electrodes (GCE) to generate a metal-organic surface (MOS 1|GCE), which displays efficient H2-evolving activity and stability in acidic aqueous solutions. Moreover, the generated polymer is integrated with planar p-type Si to generate very efficient photocathode materials (MOS 1|Si) for solar-driven hydrogen production from water. Photocurrents up to 3.8 mA/cm(2) at 0 V vs RHE were achieved under simulated 1 Sun illumination. MOS 1|Si photocathodes operate at potentials 550 mV more positive than MOS 1|GCE cathodes to reach the same activity for H2 evolution from water (1 mA/cm(2)).

Homogeneous Pd-Catalyzed Enantioselective Decarboxylative Protonation

General homogeneous conditions for the palladium-catalyzed synthesis of carbonyl compounds with tertiary carbon stereocenters at the alpha-position are reported. The highly reactive catalyst tolerates a variety of substrate substitution and functionality, and generates enantioenriched cyclic ketones from racemic allyl beta-ketoester starting materials.

Inversion of configuration at the metal in diastereomeric imido alkylidene monoaryloxide monopyrrolide complexes of molybdenum.

The two diastereomers of Mo(NAr)(CHCMe(2)Ph)(2,5-dimethylpyrrolide)(1), (S(M)R(1))-2 and (R(M)R(1))-2, respectively, where 1 is an enantiomerically pure (R) phenoxide and Ar = 2,6-diisopropylphenyl, form adducts with PMe(3). One of these ((R(M)R(1))-2(PMe(3))) has been isolated. An X-ray structure reveals that PMe(3) has added trans to the pyrrolide; it is a model for where an olefin would attack the metal. Trimethylphosphine will catalyze slow interconversion of (S(M)R(1))-2 and (R(M)R(1))-2 via formation of weak PMe(3) adducts. Reactions between (S(M)R(1))-2 or (R(M)R(1))-2 and ethylene yield Mo(NAr)(CH(2))(Me(2)Pyr)(1) species in which the configuration at Mo is inverted by ethylene at a rate of the order of the NMR time scale at 22 degrees C via formation of metallacyclobutane intermediates with imido and aryloxide ligands in axial positions. A reactant olefin is proposed to approach Mo and the product olefin to leave Mo trans to the pyrrolide.

The Reaction Mechanism of the Enantioselective Tsuji Allylation: Inner-Sphere and Outer-Sphere Pathways, Internal Rearrangements, and Asymmetric C−C Bond Formation

We use first principles quantum mechanics (density functional theory) to report a detailed reaction mechanism of the asymmetric Tsuji allylation involving prochiral nucleophiles and nonprochiral allyl fragments, which is consistent with experimental findings. The observed enantioselectivity is best explained with an inner-sphere mechanism involving the formation of a 5-coordinate Pd species that undergoes a ligand rearrangement, which is selective with regard to the prochiral faces of the intermediate enolate. Subsequent reductive elimination generates the product and a Pd(0) complex. The reductive elimination occurs via an unconventional seven-centered transition state that contrasts dramatically with the standard three-centered C-C reductive elimination mechanism. Although limitations in the present theory prevent the conclusive identification of the enantioselective step, we note that three different computational schemes using different levels of theory all find that inner-sphere pathways are lower in energy than outer-sphere pathways. This result qualitatively contrasts with established allylation reaction mechanisms involving prochiral nucleophiles and prochiral allyl fragments. Energetic profiles of all reaction pathways are presented in detail.

Proton-Assisted Reduction of CO2 by Cobalt Aminopyridine Macrocycles

We report here the efficient reduction of CO2 to CO by cobalt aminopyridine macrocycles. The effect of the pendant amines on catalysis was investigated. Several cobalt complexes based on the azacalix[4](2,6)pyridine framework with different substitutions on the pendant amine groups have been synthesized (R = H (1), Me (2), and allyl (3)), and their electrocatalytic properties were explored. Under an atmosphere of CO2 and in the presence of weak Brønsted acids, large catalytic currents are observed for 1, corresponding to the reduction of CO2 to CO with excellent Faradaic efficiency (98 ± 2%). In comparison, complexes 2 and 3 generate CO with TONs at least 300 times lower than 1, suggesting that the presence of the pendant NH moiety of the secondary amine is crucial for catalysis. Moreover, the presence of NH groups leads to a positive shift in the reduction potential of the Co(I/0) couple, therefore decreasing the overpotential for CO2 reduction.