Hydrogen generation: Aromatic dithiolate-bridged metal carbonyl complexes as hydrogenase catalytic site models

•Design of bioinspired hydrogenase active site models as catalysts for proton reduction.•Importance of designing proton reduction catalysts lies in the development of a sustainable hydrogen economy.•The review focuses on aromatic dithiolate-bridged mono-, di- and polynuclear iron carbonyl complexes.•Comparisons with alkyl-dithiolate bridged complexes have been made where relevant.

The design, syntheses and characteristics of metal carbonyl complexes with aromatic dithiolate linkers reported as bioinspired hydrogenase catalytic site models are described and reviewed. Among these the complexes capable of hydrogen generation have been discussed in detail. Comparisons have been made with carbonyl complexes having alkyl dithiolates as linkers between metal centers.

Graphical abstractAromatic dithiolate-bridged carbonyl complexes reported to date as hydrogenase active site models have been discussed and comparisons have been made with the alkyl dithiolate-bridged complexes.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide