Electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 using Mn complexes with unconventional coordination environments.

New complexes, Mn{κ(3)-[2,6-{Ph2PNMe}2(NC5H3)]}(CO)3(+)Br(-) (1(+)Br(-)) and MnBr{κ(2)-(Ph2P)NMe(NC5H4)}(CO)3 (2), are reported and present new ligand environments for CO2 electrocatalytic reduction to CO. Compound 1(+) presents a unique metal geometry for CO production (96%) in the absence of added water while 2 required addition of water and generated both CO and H2 products.