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

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]