Photocatalytic and electrocatalytic hydrogen production using nickel complexes supported by hemilabile and non-innocent ligands

Nickel complexes with non-innocent ligands generated by one-electron reduction of octahedral Schiff base nickel( ii ) complexes with hemilabile ligands exhibited excellent catalytic activities of over 5000 TONs through a metal-ligand cooperation mechanism for hydrogen evolution from water under visible light irradiation. Square-planar Ni complexes with non-innocent ligands generated by one-electron reduction of octahedral Ni( ii ) complexes with Schiff base ligands exhibited excellent catalytic activities via proton-coupled electron transfer for the H 2 evolution reaction.