Synthesis and electrocatalytic properties of a dinuclear copper(II) complex for generating hydrogen from acetic acid or water

The reaction of CuCl₂⋅2H₂O and a tetradentate amine phenol ligand affords a dinuclear Cu(II) complex, 1, a new molecular electrocatalyst, whose structure has been determined by X-ray crystallography. Electrochemical studies show that 1 can efficiently produce hydrogen from acetic acid with a turnover frequency (TOF) of 50.1 (in DMF) or from water with a TOF of 104.3 (pH 7.0) moles of hydrogen per mole of catalyst per hour.