Bimetallic nickel-cobalt hydrides in H activation and catalytic proton reduction.

The synergism of the electronic properties of nickel and cobalt enables bimetallic NiCo complexes to process H. The nickel-cobalt hydride [(dppe)Ni(pdt)(H)CoCp*] ( ) arising from protonation of the reduced state was found to be an efficient electrocatalyst for H evolution with ClCHCOOH, and the oxidized [Ni(ii)Co(iii)] form is capable of activating H to produce . The features of stereodynamics, acid-base properties, redox chemistry and reactivity of these bimetallic NiCo complexes in processing H are potentially related to the active site of [NiFe]-Hases.