Electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide catalysed by macrocyclic Fe4S4 iron–sulphur clusters

Abstract

Electrochemical fixation of CO₂ into formate was efficiently carried out by using Fe₄S₄ cubane clusters bearing a 36-membered methylene backbone in dimethylformamide with initial current efficiencies of 40 and 23%, respectively, for t-butyl and benzyl type macrocyclic Fe–S derivatives; these derivatives are several times more efficient than conventional clusters bearing small thiolate ligands.