Thiolate-bridged diruthenium complexes bearing pendent
ethers have been found to work as effective catalysts toward the oxidation of molecular dihydrogen into protons/electrons in water. The pendent
ether moiety plays an important role to facilitate the proton transfer between the metal center and the external proton acceptor. A theoretical study on the proposed reaction pathway is also described using DFT calculations. More information can be found in the Communication by K. Sakata and Y. Nishibayashi et al. on
page 1007 ff.