Aromatic dithiolate nickel complexes bearing N-substituted bis(diphenylphosphanyl)amine: Synthesis, characterization, and electrocatalytic performance for hydrogen evolution

Six new aromatic dithiolate nickel complexes [RN(PPh2)2Ni(bdt)] and [RN(PPh2)2Ni(tdt)] have been synthesized and fully characterized. The nickel atom adopts a slightly distorted square-planar coordination by RN(PPh2)2 and dithiolate ligands. All complexes can electrocatalyze protons reduction to H2 in the presence of FTA.