Nitrite reduction by a pyridinediimine complex with a proton-responsive secondary coordination sphere

The proton-responsive pyridinediimine ligand, DEA PDI (where DEA PDI = [(2,6- i PrC 6 H 3 )(N&z.dbd;CMe)(N(Et) 2 C 2 H 4 )(N&z.dbd;CMe)C 5 H 3 N]) was utilized for the reduction of NO 2 to NO. Nitrite reduction is facilitated by the protonated secondary coordination sphere coupled with the ligand-based redox-active sites of [Fe(H DEA PDI)(CO) 2 ] + and results in the formation of the {Fe(NO) 2 } 9 DNIC, [Fe( DEA PDI)(NO) 2 ] + . The reduction of NO 2 to NO is achieved with a FePDI complex containing a proton-responsive secondary coordination sphere coupled with redox-active sites.