Electrochemical Formation of Methane, Ethylene, and Ethane with a Bimetallic Nickel Complex: Is CO2 the Source of Carbon?

Most molecular CO2 reduction electrocatalysts generate CO as the only gaseous carbon product. Herein, we report a dinickel complex that produces H2, CO, CH4, C2H4, and C2H6 under negative applied potentials. Using 13C isotopic labelling and high- resolution mass spectrometry, we find that CO and CH₄ originate from CO₂, C₂H₄ does not, and the origin of C₂H₆ remains unresolved.