제  목 : Electron-Induced Reorganization of Coordination Complexes to Promote Electrocatalytic H2 Evolution and CO2 Reduction

연  사 : 서준혁 교수(GIST)
일  시 : 2022년 11월 3일(목) 오후 4시 30분

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Electron-Induced Reorganization of Coordination Complexes to Promote Electrocatalytic H₂ Evolution and CO₂ Reduction

Junhyeok Seo

Department of Chemistry, GIST

Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea

E-mail: seojh@gist.ac.kr

Abstract: Coordination complexes experience structural reorganizations along with electron transfers into the systems. The electron-induced reorganization would likely open a reaction site for substrates and provide a new reaction pathway in energy conversion and storage applications involving small molecules such as H₂ or CO₂. Polypyridyl complexes have shown abilities as electrocatalysts in H₂ evolution reaction (HER) and CO₂ reduction reaction (CO₂RR). A proton-transfer process is a key step in determining the catalytic efficiency in the proton reduction reaction. On the other hand, individual electron and proton transfer steps should be controlled to enhance CO₂RR selectively; otherwise, the thermodynamically favored HER will become dominant. In current examples, we synthesized NNN-Co-(bulky π-acceptor) complexes and could selectively dissociate Co–N (of tertiary amine donor) bond by initial two-electron transfers. The electron-induced structural reorganization led to a direct CO₂ activation, and the subsequent proton transfer enhanced the CO₂-to-CO conversion. In this talk, we will discuss the recent findings about the electron-induced reorganization of Co and Fe coordination complexes and the effect on the selective reactions toward protons and CO₂.