Electrochemical and photocatalytic hydrogen evolution by an electron‐deficient cobalt tris(ethoxycarbonyl)corrole complex

Abstract

An electron‐deficient flat 5,10,15‐tris(ethoxycarbonyl)corrole (TECC) cobalt complex, [Co(TECC)(Py) 2 ] ( 1 ; py = pyridine), was prepared and employed as a catalyst for homogeneous hydrogen evolution. It turns out that water can be successfully used as a proton source in acetonitrile–water (2:3 v /v) solvent system for electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution. Complex 1 is also an efficient photocatalyst for hydrogen generation from aqueous solution, an example of the first application of metal corrole as photocatalyst for hydrogen production.