A dinuclear nickel catalyst based on metal–metal cooperation for electrochemical hydrogen production

[Display omitted] •A dinuclear Ni complex produces hydrogen from acetic acid electrochemically.•However, a related mononuclear complex does not under the same conditions.•The cooperation between the two Ni centers plays a pivotal role in the production. In the quest for efficient metal catalysts for hydrogen production, a new dinuclear nickel complex of formula [{(μ-2-thiazolethiolate)Ni(1,3-bis(diphenylphosphino)propane)}2](BF4)2 (2) has been synthesized. Complex 2 shows electrochemical catalytic behavior for hydrogen production with a overpotential of 0.26 V, a current efficiency of 59%, and a turnover number of 6.4. The lack of catalytic behavior of a related mononuclear complex under the same conditions suggests that the cooperation between the two Ni centers plays a pivotal role in the catalytic behavior.