Synthesis and properties of 1,3-bis[(2-bromo)benzene]triazene and its binuclear silver complex

Abstract

The reaction of 2-bromoaniline with sodium nitrite affords a triazenido compound, 1,3-bis[(2-bromo)benzene]triazene (HL). Spectroscopic investigations show that HL bears a high selectivity for silver(I) ion in the presence of other metal ions. In the presence of Et₃N, the reaction of HL and AgNO₃ gives a binuclear triazenido-silver complex, [Ag₂(L)₂], which has been determined by X-ray diffraction analysis. Electrochemical studies show this silver complex can act as an electrocatalyst for hydrogen generation from neutral water with a turnover frequency (TOF) of 874.14 moles of hydrogen per mole of catalyst per hour (mol H₂/mol catalyst/h) at an over potential (OP) of 837.6 mV.

Keywords:

• Triazenido compound
• silver complex
• photoluminescence
• electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution

Supplementary data

CCDC 873790 contains the supplementary crystallographic data for this article. These data can be obtained free of charge via http://www.ccdc.cam.ac.uk/conts/retrieving.html, or from the Cambridge Crystallographic Data Center, 12 Union Road, Cambridge CB2 1EZ, UK; fax: [phone]; or e-mail: [email protected].

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Science Foundation of China (No. 21271073 and 21875074), and the Student Research Program (SRP) of South China University of Technology.