??????????????Metal-Coordinated Phthalocyanines as Platform Molecules for Understanding Isolated Metal Sites in the Electrochemical Reduction of CO2

Single-atom catalysts (SACs) of non-precious transition metals (TMs) often show unique electrochemical performance, including the electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO2RR). However, the inhomogeneity in their structures makes it difficult to directly compare SACs of different TM for their CO2RR activity, selectivity, and reaction mechanisms. In this study, the comparison of isolated TMs (Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, and Zn) is systematically investigated using a series of crystalline molecular catalysts, namely TM-coordinated phthalocyanines (TMPcs), to directly compare the intrinsic role of the TMs with identical local coordination environments on the CO2RR performance. The combined experimental measurements, in situ characterization, and density functional theory calculations of TM-Pc catalysts reveal a TM dependent CO2RR activity and selectivity, with the free energy difference of delta G(*HOCO) - delta G(*CO) being identified as a descriptor for predicting the CO2RR performance.

Automated summary

In this study, the intrinsic role of isolated non-precious transition metals (TMs) in electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO2RR) performance is investigated using crystalline molecular catalysts. The results show that the CO2RR activity and selectivity of TMs are dependent on the free energy difference.