Single Crystals of α-MoO3-Intercalated {Ni(H2O)6}2+ and Electrocatalytic Water Reduction: Toward a Class of Molybdenum Bronzes

Debu Jana; Hema Kumari Kolli; Samar K Das

doi:10.1021/acs.inorgchem.1c03978

Single Crystals of α-MoO₃-Intercalated {Ni(H₂O)₆}²⁺ and Electrocatalytic Water Reduction: Toward a Class of Molybdenum Bronzes

Inorg Chem. 2022 Mar 7;61(9):3816-3820. doi: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.1c03978. Epub 2022 Feb 18.

Authors

Debu Jana¹, Hema Kumari Kolli¹, Samar K Das¹

Affiliation

¹ School of Chemistry, University of Hyderabad, P.O. Central University, Hyderabad, Telangana 500046, India.

PMID: 35179361
DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.1c03978

Abstract

We have successfully intercalated {Ni^II(H₂O)₆}²⁺ into the α-MoO₃ layer, leading to the isolation of green single crystals of [Mo^VI₂O₆(CH₃COO){Ni^II(H₂O)₆}_0.5]·H₂O (1). The homogeneous electrochemistry of 1 in its aqueous solution exhibits electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) with concomitant electrochemical deposition of [HMo₃^VIMo^VO₁₂(CH₃COO){Ni^II(H₂O)₅(OH)}] (2). Compound 2, a new molybdenum bronze, acts as an efficient and stable heterogeneous electrocatalyst for water reduction to molecular hydrogen. This work represents the first paradigm of a molybdenum bronze intercalating a transition metal-aqua ion.