A series of tungsten hydride complexes have been synthesized to mimic a proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) step undergone by metal–hydride intermediates during solar fuel catalysis. It is shown that, by incorporating proton-accepting bases into the second coordination sphere, their PCET oxidation mechanism changes and its rate increases by several orders of magnitude.
- Tianfei Liu
- Meiyuan Guo
- Leif Hammarström
