Biology uses precise control over proton,
electron, H-atom, or H<sub>2</sub> transfer to mediate challenging reactivity.
While synthetic complexes have made incredible strides in replicating secondary
coordination electron or proton donors, there are comparatively fewer examples
of ligands that can mediate both proton and electron storage. Rarer still are
ligands that can store full H<sub>2</sub> equivalents. Here we report a dihydrazonopyrrole Ni complex
where an H<sub>2</sub> equivalent can be stored on the ligand periphery without
any redox change at the metal center. This ligand-based storage of H<sub>2</sub>
can be leveraged for catalytic hydrogenations. Kinetic and computational
analysis suggests a rate determining H<sub>2</sub> binding step followed by
comparatively facile H–H scission to hydrogenate the ligand. This system is an
unusual example where a synthetic system can mimic biology’s ability to mediate
H<sub>2</sub> transfer via secondary coordination sphere-based processes.