[Re(CO)(5-PAN)Cl], a rhenium() naphthalimide complex for the visible light photocatalytic reduction of CO

A rhenium( i ) naphthalimide complex [Re(CO) 3 (5-PAN)Cl] (Re(5-PAN); 5-PAN = 1-(1,10-phenanthroline)-4-nitro-naphthalimide) was synthesized, characterized, and evaluated as a photocatalyst for CO 2 reduction. Characterization included use of MALDI-ToF mass spectrometry, FT-IR, RAMAN, 1 H and 13 C NMR, elemental analysis, electronic absorption and emission spectroscopy, single crystal X-ray diffraction, DFT and cyclic voltammetry. Photocatalytic (406 nm) reduction of 13 CO 2 to formate (H 13 COO) in the presence of this catalyst was tracked via 13 C NMR. Results support Re5-PAN ( = 0.021) functioning as a catalyst for the reduction of CO 2 (maximum turn-over 48-50 at 300 equiv. triethylamine as the sacrificial electron donor). A rhenium( i ) naphthalimide complex [Re(CO) 3 (5-PAN)Cl] (Re(5-PAN); 5-PAN = 1-(1,10-phenanthroline)-4-nitro-naphthalimide) was synthesized, characterized, and evaluated as a photocatalyst for CO 2 reduction.