Local Proton Source in Electrocatalytic CO 2 Reduction with [Mn(bpy-R)(CO) 3 Br] Complexes

The electrochemical behavior of fac-[Mn(pdbpy)(CO) Br] (pdbpy=4-phenyl-6-(phenyl-2,6-diol)-2,2'-bipyridine) (1) in acetonitrile under Ar, and its catalytic performances for CO reduction with added water, 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol (TFE), and phenol are discussed in detail. Preparative-scale electrolysis experiments, carried out at -1.5 V versus the standard calomel electrode (SCE) in CO -saturated acetonitrile, reveal that the process selectivity is extremely sensitive to the acid strength, producing CO and formate in different faradaic yields. A detailed spectroelectrochemical (IR and UV/Vis) study under Ar and CO atmospheres shows that 1 undergoes fast solvolysis; however, dimer formation in acetonitrile is suppressed, resulting in an atypical reduction mechanism in comparison with other reported Mn catalysts. Spectroscopic evidence of Mn hydride formation supports the existence of different electrocatalytic CO reduction pathways. Furthermore, a comparative investigation performed on the new fac-[Mn(ptbpy)(CO) Br] (ptbpy=4-phenyl-6-(phenyl-3,4,5-triol)-2,2'-bipyridine) catalyst (2), bearing a bipyridyl derivative with OH groups in different positions to those in 1, provides complementary information about the role that the local proton source plays during the electrochemical reduction of CO .