Synthesis, characterization, magnetic anisotropy and catalytic behaviors of a cobalt complex of S,S '-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)-1,2-thiobenzene

摘要

S,S'-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)-1,2-thiobenzene (bptb) reacts with CoBr2 to form a cobalt complex, [(bptb)CoBr2]. Its structure has been determined by X-ray crystallography. Studies show that [(bptb)CoBr2] can act as both a single-molecule magnet and a molecular catalyst. As a single-molecule magnet, magnetic anisotropy for [(bptb)CoBr2] is revealed via the analyses of the direct-current magnetic data with a zero-field splitting (ZFS) parameter (D) of 69.88 cm(-1). Catalytic activities for hydrogen evolution from water are found. As an electrocatalyst, [(bptb)CoBr2] can provide 870 mol of hydrogen per mole of catalyst per hour (mol H-2/mol catalyst/h) at an overpotential (OP) of 837.6 mV. As a photocatalyst, mixing with CdS nanorods (CdS NRs) as a photosensitizer, and ascorbic acid (H(2)A) as a sacrificial electron donor, [(bptb)CoBr2] can afford 19290 mol H-2 per mole of catalyst during 80 h irradiation. The highest apparent quantum yield (AQY) is similar to 24.30%.