title: Cobalt-based particles formed upon electrocatalytic hydrogen production by a cobalt pyridine oxime complex.
abstract: An open-coordination-sphere cobalt(III) oximato-based complex was designed as a putative catalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Electrochemical alteration in the presence of acid occurs, leading to the formation of cobalt-based particles that act as an efficient catalyst for HER at pH 7. The exact chemical nature of these particles is yet to be determined. This study thus raises interesting issues regarding the fate of molecular-based complexes designed for the HER, and points to the challenging task of identifying the real catalytic species. Moreover, understanding and rationalizing the alteration pathways can be seen as a new route to reach catalytic particulates.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Chimie Moléculaire et des Matériaux d'Orsay, UMR-CNRS 8182, Université de Paris-Sud XI, 91405 Orsay (France), Fax: (+33) 0-169-154-756.
authors.forename: Sanae El
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Ghachtouli
authors.forename: Regis
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guillot
authors.forename: Francois
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Brisset
authors.forename: Ally
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aukauloo
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D003035:Cobalt / Q000737:chemistry*; D056831:Coordination Complexes / Q000737:chemistry*; D004563:Electrochemistry; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000737:chemistry*; D010091:Oximes / Q000737:chemistry*; D011725:Pyridines / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D056831:Coordination Complexes; D010091:Oximes; D011725:Pyridines; D003035:Cobalt; D006859:Hydrogen; C023666:pyridine
keywords: cobalt; electrocatalysis; homogeneous catalysis; hydrogen; oximes