Hydrogen oxidation catalysis by a nickel diphosphine complex with pendant tert-butyl amines

A bis-diphosphine nickel complex with tert-butyl functionalized pendant amines [Ni(P(Cy)(2)N(t-Bu)(2))(2)](2+) has been synthesized. It is a highly active electrocatalyst for the oxidation of hydrogen in the presence of base. The turnover rate of 50 s(-1) under 1.0 atm H(2) at a potential of -0.77 V vs. the ferrocene couple is 5 times faster than the rate reported heretofore for any other synthetic molecular H(2) oxidation catalyst.