INVESTIGATING IRON CATALYSED ORGANIC TRANSFORMATION

Abstract

The rise in the consumption of energy motivated researchers to explore alternative methods of generating clean energy. One of which is the studying of molecular electro-catalysts for hydrogen generation, in which it provides mechanistic and kinetic insights through electrochemical and spectroscopic methods. In this thesis, the use of iron-based synthetic mimics of the Fe-Fe hydrogenase as proton reduction catalysts were explored. The iron complexes were synthesised based on two different strategies, namely, the use of a penta-coordinated iron complex with a vacant site, and the use of redox active Schiff base ligands respectively. The iron complexes were characterized and their redox property, robustness, and proton reduction efficiencies were systematically investigated by cyclic voltammetry. Mechanisms describing the electro-proton reduction process has been proposed for the different groups of iron complexes.