Regulating the Coordination Environment of MOF-Templated Single-Atom Nickel Electrocatalysts for Boosting CO2 Reduction

The general synthesis and control of the coordination environment of single-atom catalysts (SACs) remains a great challenge. Herein, a general host–guest cooperative protection strategy has been developed to construct SACs by introducing polypyrrole (PPy) into a bimetallic metal–organic framework. As an example, the introduction of Mg²⁺ in MgNi-MOF-74 extends the distance between adjacent Ni atoms; the PPy guests serve as N source to stabilize the isolated Ni atoms during pyrolysis. As a result, a series of single-atom Ni catalysts (named Ni_SA-N_x-C) with different N coordination numbers have been fabricated by controlling the pyrolysis temperature. Significantly, the Ni_SA-N₂-C catalyst, with the lowest N coordination number, achieves high CO Faradaic efficiency (98 %) and turnover frequency (1622 h⁻¹), far superior to those of Ni_SA-N₃-C and Ni_SA-N₄-C, in electrocatalytic CO₂ reduction. Theoretical calculations reveal that the low N coordination number of single-atom Ni sites in Ni_SA-N₂-C is favorable to the formation of COOH* intermediate and thus accounts for its superior activity.     

High‐Efficiency Oxygen Reduction to Hydrogen Peroxide Catalyzed by Nickel Single‐Atom Catalysts with Tetradentate N2O2 Coordination in a Three‐Phase Flow Cell

Carbon‐supported Ni^II single‐atom catalysts with a tetradentate Ni‐N₂O₂ coordination formed by a Schiff base ligand‐mediated pyrolysis strategy are presented. A Ni^II complex of the Schiff base ligand (R,R)‐(?)‐N,N′‐bis(3,5‐di‐tert‐butylsalicylidene)‐1,2‐cyclohexanediamine was adsorbed onto a carbon black support, followed by pyrolysis of the modified carbon material at 300 °C in Ar. The Ni‐N₂O₂/C catalyst showed excellent performance for the electrocatalytic reduction of O₂ to H₂O₂ through a two‐electron transfer process in alkaline conditions, with a H₂O₂ selectivity of 96 %. At a current density of 70 mA cm^?2, a H₂O₂ production rate of 5.9 mol g_cat.^?1 h^?1 was achieved using a three‐phase flow cell, with good catalyst stability maintained over 8 h of testing. The Ni‐N₂O₂/C catalyst could electrocatalytically reduce O₂ in air to H₂O₂ at a high current density, still affording a high H₂O₂ selectivity (>90 %). A precise Ni‐N₂O₂ coordination was key to the performance.     

A novel two‐dimensional nickel(II) coordination polymer with 1,4‐bis(1,2,4‐triazol‐1‐ylmethyl)benzene and azide ligands

The coordination geometry of the Ni^II atom in the title complex, poly[diazidobis[μ‐1,4‐bis(1,2,4‐triazol‐1‐ylmethyl)benzene‐κ²N⁴:N^4′]nickel(II)], [Ni(N₃)₂(C₁₂H₁₂N₆)₂]_n, is a distorted octahedron, in which the Ni^II atom lies on an inversion centre and is coordinated by four N atoms from the triazole rings of two symmetry‐related pairs of 1,4‐bis(1,2,4‐triazol‐1‐ylmethyl)benzene (bbtz) ligands and two N atoms from two symmetry‐related monodentate azide ligands. The Ni^II atoms are bridged by four bbtz ligands to form a two‐dimensional (4,4)‐network.     

Controlled Synthesis of a Vacancy‐Defect Single‐Atom Catalyst for Boosting CO2 Electroreduction

The reaction of precursors containing both nitrogen and oxygen atoms with Ni^II under 500 °C can generate a N/O mixing coordinated Ni‐N₃O single‐atom catalyst (SAC) in which the oxygen atom can be gradually removed under high temperature due to the weaker Ni?O interaction, resulting in a vacancy‐defect Ni‐N₃‐V SAC at Ni site under 800 °C. For the reaction of Ni^II with the precursor simply containing nitrogen atoms, only a no‐vacancy‐defect Ni‐N₄ SAC was obtained. Experimental and DFT calculations reveal that the presence of a vacancy‐defect in Ni‐N₃‐V SAC can dramatically boost the electrocatalytic activity for CO₂ reduction, with extremely high CO₂ reduction current density of 65 mA cm^?2 and high Faradaic efficiency over 90 % at ?0.9 V vs. RHE, as well as a record high turnover frequency of 1.35×10⁵ h^?1, much higher than those of Ni‐N₄ SAC, and being one of the best reported electrocatalysts for CO₂‐to‐CO conversion to date.     

A comparative study of the packing of two polymorphs of the nickel(II) pincer complex [2,6‐bis(di‐tert‐butylphosphinoyl)‐4‐(3,5‐dinitrobenzoyloxy)phenyl‐κ3P,C1,P′]chloridonickel(II)

Pincer complexes can act as catalysts in organic transformations and have potential applications in materials, medicine and biology. They exhibit robust structures and high thermal stability attributed to the tridentate coordination of the pincer ligands and the strong σ metal–carbon bond. Nickel derivatives of these ligands have shown high catalytic activities in cross‐coupling reactions and other industrially relevant transformations. This work reports the crystal structures of two polymorphs of the title Ni^II POCOP pincer complex, [Ni(C₂₉H₄₁N₂O₈P₂)Cl] or [NiCl{C₆H₂‐4‐[OCOC₆H₄‐3,5‐(NO₂)₂]‐2,6‐(OP^tBu₂)₂}]. Both pincer structures exhibit the Ni^II atom in a distorted square‐planar coordination geometry with the POCOP pincer ligand coordinated in a typical tridentate manner via the two P atoms and one arene C atom via a C—Ni σ bond, giving rise to two five‐membered chelate rings. The coordination sphere of the Ni^II centre is completed by a chloride ligand. The asymmetric units of both polymorphs consist of one molecule of the pincer complex. In the first polymorph, the arene rings are nearly coplanar, with a dihedral angle between the mean planes of 27.9 (1)°, while in the second polymorph, this angle is 82.64 (1)°, which shows that the arene rings are almost perpendicular to one another. The supramolecular structure is directed by the presence of weak C—H…O=X (X = C or N) interactions, forming two‐ and three‐dimensional chain arrangements.     

Bis{2‐[(phenylimino)ethyl]‐1H‐pyrrol‐1‐ido‐κ2N,N′}nickel(II): a supramolecular structure formed by C—H...π hydrogen bonds

In the title compound, [Ni(C₁₂H₁₁N₂)₂], the Ni^II cation lies on an inversion centre and has a square‐planar coordination geometry. This transition metal complex is composed of two deprotonated N,N′‐bidentate 2‐[(phenylimino)ethyl]‐1H‐pyrrol‐1‐ide ligands around a central Ni^II cation, with the pyrrolide rings and imine groups lying trans to each other. The Ni—N bond lengths range from 1.894 (3) to 1.939 (2) Å and the bite angle is 83.13 (11)°. The Ni—N(pyrrolide) bond is substantially shorter than the Ni—N(imino) bond. The planes of the phenyl rings make a dihedral angle of 78.79 (9)° with respect to the central NiN₄ plane. The molecules are linked into simple chains by an intermolecular C—H...π interaction involving a phenyl β‐C atom as donor. Intramolecular C—H...π interactions are also present.     

From Metal–Organic Frameworks to Single‐Atom Fe Implanted N‐doped Porous Carbons: Efficient Oxygen Reduction in Both Alkaline and Acidic Media

It remains highly desired but a great challenge to achieve atomically dispersed metals in high loadings for efficient catalysis. Now porphyrinic metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have been synthesized based on a novel mixed‐ligand strategy to afford high‐content (1.76 wt %) single‐atom (SA) iron‐implanted N‐doped porous carbon (Fe_SA‐N‐C) via pyrolysis. Thanks to the single‐atom Fe sites, hierarchical pores, oriented mesochannels and high conductivity, the optimized Fe_SA‐N‐C exhibits excellent oxygen reduction activity and stability, surpassing almost all non‐noble‐metal catalysts and state‐of‐the‐art Pt/C, in both alkaline and more challenging acidic media. More far‐reaching, this MOF‐based mixed‐ligand strategy opens a novel avenue to the precise fabrication of efficient single‐atom catalysts.     

[N,N′‐Bis­(salicyl­idene)‐2,2‐di­methyl‐1,3‐propane­diaminato]­nickel(II) and [N,N′‐bis­(salicyl­idene)‐2,2‐di­methyl‐1,3‐propane­diaminato]copper(II)

In the title compounds, {2,2′‐[2,2‐di­methyl‐1,3‐propane­diyl­bis­(nitrilo­methyl­idyne)]­diphenolato‐κ⁴N,N′,O,O′}nickel(II), [Ni(C₁₉H₂₀N₂O₂)], and {2,2′‐[2,2‐di­methyl‐1,3‐propane­diyl­bis­(nitrilo­methyl­idyne)]­diphenolato‐κ⁴N,N′,O,O′}copper(II), [Cu(C₁₉H₂₀N₂O₂)], the Ni^II and Cu^II atoms are coordinated by two iminic N and two phenolic O atoms of the N,N′‐bis­(salicyl­idene)‐2,2‐di­methyl‐1,3‐propane­diaminate (SALPD^2?, C₁₇H₁₆N₂O₂^2?) ligand. The geometry of the coordination sphere is planar in the case of the Ni^II complex and distorted towards tetrahedral for the Cu^II complex. Both complexes have a cis configuration imposed by the chelate ligand. The dihedral angles between the N/Ni/O and N/Cu/O coordination planes are 17.20 (6) and 35.13 (7)°, respectively.     

Coordination Tunes Selectivity: Two‐Electron Oxygen Reduction on High‐Loading Molybdenum Single‐Atom Catalysts

Single‐atom catalysts (SACs) have great potential in electrocatalysis. Their performance can be rationally optimized by tailoring the metal atoms, adjacent coordinative dopants, and metal loading. However, doing so is still a great challenge because of the limited synthesis approach and insufficient understanding of the structure–property relationships. Herein, we report a new kind of Mo SAC with a unique O,S coordination and a high metal loading over 10 wt %. The isolation and local environment was identified by high‐angle annular dark‐field scanning transmission electron microscopy and extended X‐ray absorption fine structure. The SACs catalyze the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) via a 2 e^? pathway with a high H₂O₂ selectivity of over 95 % in 0.10 m KOH. The critical role of the Mo single atoms and the coordination structure was revealed by both electrochemical tests and theoretical calculations.     

Single‐Atom Cr−N4 Sites Designed for Durable Oxygen Reduction Catalysis in Acid Media

Single‐atom catalysts (SACs) are attracting widespread interest for the catalytic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), with Fe?N_x SACs exhibiting the most promising activity. However, Fe‐based catalysts suffer serious stability issues as a result of oxidative corrosion through the Fenton reaction. Herein, using a metal‐organic framework as an anchoring matrix, we for the first time obtained pyrolyzed Cr/N/C SACs for the ORR, where the atomically dispersed Cr is confirmed to have a Cr?N₄ coordination structure. The Cr/N/C catalyst exhibits excellent ORR activity with an optimal half‐wave potential of 0.773 V versus RHE. More excitingly, the Fenton reaction is substantially reduced and, thus, the final catalysts show superb stability. The innovative and robust active site for the ORR opens a new possibility to circumvent the stability issue of the non‐noble metal ORR catalysts.     

mer‐Di­aqua­bis(1H‐imidazole‐κN3)(orotato‐κ2N3,O4)­nickel(II)

The title mononuclear complex, [Ni(C₅H₂N₂O₄)(C₃H₄N₂)₂(H₂O)₂] or [Ni(HOr)(im)₂(H₂O)₂] (im is imidazole and H₃Or is orotic acid, or 2,6‐dioxo‐1,2,3,6‐tetra­hydro­pyrimidine‐4‐carboxylic acid), has been synthesized and the crystal structure determination is reported. The Ni^II ion in the complex has a distorted octahedral coordination geometry comprised of one deprotonated pyrimidine N atom and the adjacent carboxyl­ate O atom of the orotate ligand, two tertiary imidazole N atoms and two aqua ligands. An extensive three‐dimensional network of OW—H⋯O and N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, and π–π and π–ring interactions are responsible for crystal stabilization.     

Different intermolecular interactions in azido[2‐(diphenylphosphino)benzaldehyde semicarbazonato‐κ2P,N1,O]nickel(II)

The title compound, [Ni(C₂₀H₁₇N₃OP)(N₃)], is the first complex with a semicarbazide‐based ligand having a P atom as one of the donors. The influence of the P atom on the deformation of the coordination geometry of the Ni^II ion is evident but less expressed than in the cases of complexes with analogous seleno‐ and thiosemicarbazide ligands. The torsion angles involving the two bonds formed by the P atom within the six‐membered chelate ring have the largest values [C—P—Ni—N = 24.3 (2)° and C—C—P—Ni = −24.2 (4)°], suggesting that the P atom considerably influences the conformation of the ring. Two types of N—H...N hydrogen bond connect the complex units into chains.     

Nickel(II)‐Komplexe von Oxalamidinen und Oxalamidinaten mit zusätzlichen R2P‐Donorgruppen

Complexes of Nickel(II) with Oxalic Amidines and Oxalic Amidinates with Additonal R₂P‐Donor Groups Oxalamidines R¹N=C(NHR²)‐C(=NHR²)=NR¹, which bear additional donor atoms at two of the four N substituents ( H₂A : R¹ = mesityl, R² = ‐(CH₂)₃‐PPh_2; H₂B : R¹ = tolyl, R² = ‐(CH₂)₃‐PMe₂) form binuclear complexes with Nickel(II) in which very different coordination modes are realized. In the complex [ (A) Ni₂Br₂] (1) the two nickel atoms at each side of the bridge are in a square‐planar environment, coordinated by the two N donor atoms of the oxalic amidinate framework, a bromide and a Ph₂P group. An analogous coordination has the organometallic compound [ (A) Ni₂Me₂] (2) . In contrast, the two nickel atoms in the compound {[( B )][Ni(acac)]₂} (5) differ in their coordinative environment. At one side of the oxalic amidinate bridging ligand a (acac)Ni fragment is coordinated by the two N donor atoms resulting in a square‐planar environment. At the opposite side the (acac)Ni fragment is coordinated at the both N donor ligands of the bridging ligand as well as at the two PMe₂ groups of the side chains resulting in an octahedral coordination for this nickel atom.     

Poly[diaqua(μ‐4,4′‐bipyridine‐κ2N:N′)bis(μ‐cyanido‐κ2C:N)bis(cyanido‐κC)nickel(II)copper(II)]: a metal–organic cyanide‐bridged framework

The structure of the title compound, [NiCu(CN)₄(C₁₀H₈N₂)(H₂O)₂]_n or [{Cu(H₂O)₂}(μ‐C₁₀H₈N₂)(μ‐CN)₂{Ni(CN)₂}]_n, was shown to be a metal–organic cyanide‐bridged framework, composed essentially of –Cu–4,4′‐bpy–Cu–4,4′‐bpy–Cu– chains (4,4′‐bpy is 4,4′‐bipyridine) linked by [Ni(CN)₄]²⁻ anions. Both metal atoms sit on special positions; the Cu^II atom occupies an inversion center, while the Ni^II atom of the cyanometallate sits on a twofold axis. The 4,4′‐bpy ligand is also situated about a center of symmetry, located at the center of the bridging C—C bond. The scientific impact of this structure lies in the unique manner in which the framework is built up. The arrangement of the –Cu–4,4′‐bpy–Cu–4,4′‐bpy–Cu– chains, which are mutually perpendicular and non‐intersecting, creates large channels running parallel to the c axis. Within these channels, the [Ni(CN)₄]²⁻ anions coordinate to successive Cu^II atoms, forming zigzag –Cu—N[triple‐bond]C—Ni—C[triple‐bond]N—Cu– chains. In this manner, a three‐dimensional framework structure is constructed. To the authors' knowledge, this arrangement has not been observed in any of the many copper(II)–4,4′‐bipyridine framework complexes synthesized to date. The coordination environment of the Cu^II atom is completed by two water molecules. The framework is further strengthened by O—H...N hydrogen bonds involving the water molecules and the symmetry‐equivalent nonbridging cyanide N atoms.     

Bis(2‐{1‐[(2,4,6‐trimethylphenyl)imino]ethyl}pyrrol‐1‐ido‐κ2N,N′)nickel(II): a supramolecular structure formed by C—H...π(arene) hydrogen bonds

<!?tlsb=‐0.2pt>Nitrogen‐based polydentate ligands are of interest owing to their flexible complexation to transition metal atoms. For the title compound, [Ni(C₁₅H₁₇N₂)₂], a transition metal complex formed by the coordination of two identical N,N′‐bidentate mono(imino)pyrrolyl ligands to an Ni^II centre, an X‐ray crystal diffraction study indicates that the two ligands show an inverted arrangement with respect to one another around the Ni^II centre, which is located on a crystallographic inversion centre. The planes of the aromatic substituents at the imine N atoms of the ligands show dihedral angles of 85.91 (5)° with respect to the NiN₄ plane. The Ni—N bond lengths are in the range 1.9072 (15)–1.9330 (15) Å and the N_imino—Ni—N_pyrrole bite angles are 83.18 (6)°. The Ni—N_pyrrole bond is substantially shorter than the Ni—N_imino bond. Molecules are linked into an extensive network by means of intermolecular C—H...π(arene) hydrogen bonds in which every molecule acts both as hydrogen‐bond donor and acceptor. The supramolecular assembly takes the form of an infinite two‐dimensional sheet.     

Tris(ethyl­ene­diamine)­nickel(II) bis­[2‐cyano‐2‐(oxidoimino)­acetamidato]­nickelate(II) monohydrate

The title compound, [Ni(C₂H₈N₂)₃][Ni(C₃HN₃O₂)₂]·H₂O, appears to be a modular associate consisting of two complex counter‐ions, containing bivalent nickel as the central atom in both cases, and a solvent water mol­ecule. The Ni^II ion in the complex cation lies on the C₂ crystallographic axis. Its coordination environment is formed by six N atoms of three ethyl­ene­diamine (en) mol­ecules, representing a distorted octa­hedral geometry. The Ni^II ion in the complex anion occupies a position at the center of inversion. It exhibits a distorted square‐planar coordination geometry formed by four N atoms belonging to the deprotonated oxidoimine and amide groups of the two doubly charged 2‐cyano‐2‐(oxidoimino)acetamidate anions, situated in trans positions with respect to each other. In the crystal packing, the complex anions are linked by water mol­ecules via hydrogen bonds between the amide O atoms and water H atoms, forming chains translated along the a direction. The [Ni(en)₃]²⁺ cations fill empty spaces between the translational chains, connecting them by hydrogen bonds between the oxime and amide O atoms of the anions and the amine H atoms of the cations, forming layers along the ac plane. The water mol­ecules provide connection between layers through N atoms of the cations, thus forming a three‐dimensional modular structure.     

A tetrahedrally coordinated AgI and NiII complex with a two‐dimensional framework containing one‐dimensional helical chains

The title complex, poly[bis(μ₆‐pyridine‐2,6‐dicarboxylato N‐oxide)nickel(II)disilver(I)], [Ag₂Ni(C₇H₃NO₅)₂]_n or [Ag₂Ni(pydco)₂]_n (H₂pydco = pyridine‐2,6‐dicarboxylic acid N‐oxide), has a two‐dimensional sheet structure. The two carboxylate groups adopt two coordination modes. The Ni^II ion displays a distorted octahedral geometry, bonded to two carboxylate O atoms of two different pydco ligands and four O donors from another two ligands, i.e. two carboxylate O atoms and two N‐oxide O atoms. The Ag^I ion adopts a tetrahedral coordination, linked by three O atoms of three different carboxylate groups and an N‐oxide O atom.     

{4‐Bromo‐2‐[2‐(5‐bromo‐2‐oxido­benzyl­idene­amino­methyl)­phenyl­imino­methyl]­phenolato‐κ4O,N,N′,O′}nickel(II)

In the title complex, [Ni(C₂₁H₁₄Br₂N₂O₂)], the Ni^II atom is coordinated by the two imine N and two phenolate O atoms of the Schiff base ligand in a tetrahedrally distorted square‐planar geometry. The Ni—N and Ni—O distances are within the ranges expected for Ni–Schiff base derivatives. Intermolecular C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds link the mol­ecules into centrosymmetric dimers, forming (12) (A) and (10) (B) rings. These dimers combine to form a supramolecular ABAB… aggregate which propagates along the [100] direction.     

Coordination Centres of Purine Nucleotides: Adenosine‐5′‐diphosphate and Adenosine‐5′‐triphosphate in their Reactions with Nickel(II), Cobalt(II) and Tetramines

Interactions between the nucleotides: adenosine‐5′‐diphosphate (ADP) and adenosine‐5′‐triphosphate (ATP) with Ni^II and Co^II ions, as well as with spermine (Spm) and 1,11‐diamine‐4,8‐diazaundecane (3,3,3‐tet) are the subject of this study. Composition and stability constants of mixed complexes thus formed have been determined on the basis of the potentiometric measurements, whereas interaction centres in ligands have been identified by VIS and NMR spectral parameter analysis. Mixed tetraprotonated complexes with Ni^II, i.e. Ni(ADP)H₄(Spm), Ni(ATP)H₄(Spm), Ni(ADP)H₄(3,3,3‐tet) and Ni(ATP)H₄(333‐tet), are identified as ML·······L′ type adducts, in which the main coordination centre is the nucleotide nitrogen N(1) or N(7) donor atom, and the fully protonated polyamine is engaged in noncovalent interactions with nucleotide phosphate group oxygen atoms. Ni(ADP)H₂(Spm), Ni(ATP)H₂(Spm), Ni(ADP)H₂(3,3,3‐tet) and Ni(ATP)H₂(3,3,3‐tet) complexes represent the {N3} coordination type In diprotonated mixed complexes of Ni^II with spermine are weak noncovalent interligand interactions, providing an additional stabilising effect. Formation of ML·······L′ type molecular complexes has been observed in systems with Co^II: Co(ADP)H₄(Spm), Co(ATP)H₄(Spm), Co(ADP)H₄(3,3,3‐tet) and Co(ATP)H₄(3,3,3‐tet), in which the N(7) atom and oxygen atoms of the phosphate group are involved in coordination and the fully protonated polyamine is engaged in noncovalent interactions with the nucleotide N(1).     

A one‐dimensional ladder‐like coordination polymer derived from chains formed via hydrogen bonds: catena‐poly­[[aqua­di­pyridine­nickel(II)]‐μ‐2,2′‐di­thio­dibenzoato‐κ3O,O′:O′′]

The title one‐dimensional chain nickel(II)–di­sulfide complex, [Ni(C₁₄H₈O₄S₂)(C₅H₅N)₂(H₂O)]_n, has each Ni^II cation coordinated by two N atoms from two pyridine ligands, three carboxyl­ate O atoms from two different di­thio­dibenzoate ligands and one O atom from a coordinated water mol­ecule, in a distorted octahedral coordination geometry. Each di­thio­dibenzoate ion links two Ni^II cations through its carboxyl­ate O atoms, making the structure polymeric. Hydro­gen‐bond interactions between two shoulder‐to‐shoulder chains lead to the formation of a ladder‐like structure.