Effect of proton sources on the electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction mediated by a copper complex of bistriazolylpyridine
Gui-Shan Chen, Chang Liu, Xingjin Yang, Zhihao Zhan, Tianshun Wang, Hua-Xin Zhang
Abstract
). The acids profoundly affected the reaction pathways of the HER mediated by Cudbes. The catalytic HER mediated by Cudbes with AcOH followed the EECC or EEECC pathway. By contrast, in the presence of TFA or TsOH, the catalytic HER followed the CEEC or CECE pathway. The catalytic reactions invoked the proton-coupled electron transfer step and the proton relay on the triazolyl moiety of dbes. This work demonstrates that bistriazolylpyridines are good organic scaffolds to build transition metal complexes that are promising catalyst candidates for the HER and gives some new insights into the catalytic HER mediated by copper complexes using different proton sources.