Facile electrocatalytic proton reduction by a [Fe–Fe]-hydrogenase bio-inspired synthetic model bearing a terminal CN− ligand

Abstract

An azadithiolate bridged CN− bound pentacarbonyl bis-iron complex, mimicking the active site of [Fe–Fe] H2ase is synthesized, which effectively reduces H+ to H2 between pH 0–3 at diffusion-controlled rates (1011 M−1 s−1) i.e. 108 s−1 at pH 3 with an overpotential of 140 mV.