Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution using a Nickel-based Calixpyrrole Complex: Controlling the Secondary Coordination Sphere on an Electrode Surface

Incorporating design elements from homogeneous catalysts to construct well defined active sites on electrode surfaces is a promising approach for developing next generation electrocatalysts for energy conversion reactions. Furthermore, if functionalities that control the electrode microenvironment could be integrated into these active sites it would be particularly appealing. In this context, a square planar nickel calixpyrrole complex, Ni(DPMDA) (DPMDA=2,2'-((diphenylmethylene)bis(1H-pyrrole-5,2-diyl))bis(methaneylylidene))bis(azaneylylidene))dianiline) with pendant amine groups is reported that forms a heterogeneous hydrogen evolution catalyst using anilinium tetrafluoroborate as the proton source. The supported Ni(DPMDA) catalyst was surprisingly stable and displayed fast reaction kinetics with turnover frequencies (TOF) up to 25,900 s-1 or 366,000 s-1  cm-2 . Kinetic isotope effect (KIE) studies revealed a KIE of 5.7, and this data, combined with Tafel slope analysis, suggested that a proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) process involving the pendant amine groups was rate-limiting. While evidence of an outer-sphere reduction of the Ni(DPMDA) catalyst was observed, it is hypothesized that the control over the secondary coordination sphere provided by the pendant amines facilitated such high TOFs and enabled the PCET mechanism. The results reported herein provide insight into heterogeneous catalyst design and approaches for controlling the secondary coordination sphere on electrode surfaces.

Four-Electron Reduction of O2 Using Distibines in the Presence of ortho-Quinones

This study, which aims to identify atypical platforms for the reduction of dioxygen, describes the reaction of O2 with two distibines, namely, 4,5-bis(diphenylstibino)-2,7-di-tert-butyl-9,9-dimethylxanthene and 4,5-bis(diphenylstibino)-2,7-di-tert-butyl-9,9-dimethyldihydroacridine, in the presence of an ortho-quinone such as phenanthraquinone. The reaction proceeds by oxidation of the two antimony atoms to the + V state in concert with reductive cleavage of the O2 molecule. As confirmed by 18O labeling experiments, the two resulting oxo units combine with the ortho-quinone to form an α,α,β,β-tetraolate ligand that bridges the two antimony(V) centers. This process, which has been studied both experimentally and computationally, involves the formation of asymmetric, mixed-valent derivatives featuring a stibine as well as a catecholatostiborane formed by oxidative addition of the quinone to only one of the antimony centers. Under aerobic conditions, the catecholatostiborane moiety reacts with O2 to form a semiquinone/peroxoantimony intermediate, as supported by NMR spectroscopy in the case of the dimethyldihydroacridine derivative. These intermediates swiftly evolve into the symmetrical bis(antimony(V)) α,α,β,β-tetraolate complexes via low barrier processes. Finally, the controlled protonolysis and reduction of the bis(antimony(V)) α,α,β,β-tetraolate complex based on the 9,9-dimethylxanthene platform have been investigated and shown to regenerate the starting distibine and the ortho-quinone. More importantly, these last reactions also produce two equivalents of water as the product of O2 reduction.

An Easily Prepared Monomeric Cobalt(II) Tetrapyrrole Complex That Efficiently Promotes the 4e-/4H+ Peractivation of O2 to Water

The selective 4e-/4H+ reduction of dioxygen to water is an important reaction that takes place at the cathode of fuel cells. Monomeric aromatic tetrapyrroles (such as porphyrins, phthalocyanines, and corroles) coordinated to Co(II) or Co(III) have been considered as oxygen reduction catalysts due to their low cost and relative ease of synthesis. However, these systems have been repeatedly shown to be selective for O2 reduction by the less desired 2e-/2H+ pathway to yield hydrogen peroxide. Herein, we report the initial synthesis and study of a Co(II) tetrapyrrole complex based on a nonaromatic isocorrole scaffold that is competent for 4e-/4H+ oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). This Co(II) 10,10-dimethyl isocorrole (Co[10-DMIC]) is obtained in just four simple steps and has excellent yield from a known dipyrromethane synthon. Evaluation of the steady state spectroscopic and redox properties of Co[10-DMIC] against those of Co porphyrin (cobalt 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrin, [Co(TPFPP)]) and corrole (cobalt 5,10,15-tris(pentafluorophenyl)corrole triphenylphosphine, Co[TPFPC](PPh3)) homologues demonstrated that the spectroscopic and electrochemical properties of the isocorrole are distinct from those displayed by more traditional aromatic tetrapyrroles. Further, the investigation of the ORR activity of Co[10-DMIC] using a combination of electrochemical and chemical reduction studies revealed that this simple, unadorned monomeric Co(II) tetrapyrrole is ∼85% selective for the 4e-/4H+ reduction of O2 to H2O over the more kinetically facile 2e-/2H+ process that delivers H2O2. In contrast, the same ORR evaluations conducted for the Co porphyrin and corrole homologues demonstrated that these traditional aromatic systems catalyze the 2e-/2H+ conversion of O2 to H2O2 with near complete selectivity. Despite being a simple, easily prepared, monomeric tetrapyrrole platform, Co[10-DMIC] supports an ORR catalysis that has historically only been achieved using elaborate porphyrinoid-based architectures that incorporate pendant proton-transfer groups or ditopic molecular clefts or that impose cofacially oriented O2 binding sites. Accordingly, Co[10-DMIC] represents the first simple, unadorned, monomeric metalloisocorrole complex that can be easily prepared and shows a privileged performance for the 4e-/4H+ peractivation of O2 to water as compared to other simple cobalt containing tetrapyrroles.

Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer: The Engine of Energy Conversion and Storage

Proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) underpins energy conversion in chemistry and biology. Four energy systems are described whose discoveries are based on PCET: the water splitting chemistry of the Artificial Leaf, the carbon fixation chemistry of the Bionic Leaf-C, the nitrogen fixation chemistry of the Bionic Leaf-N and the Coordination Chemistry Flow Battery (CCFB). Whereas the Artificial Leaf, Bionic Leaf-C, and Bionic Leaf-N require strong coupling between electron and proton to reduce energetic barriers to enable high energy efficiencies, the CCFB requires complete decoupling of the electron and proton so as to avoid parasitic energy-wasting reactions. The proper design of PCET in these systems facilitates their implementation in the areas of (i) centralized large scale grid storage of electricity and (ii) decentralized energy storage/conversion using only sunlight, air and any water source to produce fuel and food within a sustainable cycle for the biogenic elements of C, N and P.

Structural Determination of an Unusual CuI -Porphyrin-π-Bond in a Hetero-Pacman Cu-Zn-Complex

The synthesis and characterization of a hetero‐dinuclear compound is presented, in which a copper(I) trishistidine type coordination unit is positioned directly above a zinc porphyrin unit. The close distance between the two coordination fragments is secured by a rigid xanthene backbone, and a unique (intramolecular) copper porphyrin‐π‐bond was determined for the first time in the molecular structure. This structural motif was further analyzed by temperature‐dependent NMR studies: In solution at room temperature the coordinative bond fluctuates, while it can be frozen at low temperatures. Preliminary reactivity studies revealed a reduced reactivity of the copper(I) moiety towards dioxygen. The results adumbrate why nature is avoiding metal porphyrin‐π‐bonds by fixing reactive metal centers in a predetermined distance to each other within multimetallic enzymatic reaction centers.

Double Hangman Iron Porphyrin and the Effect of Electrostatic Nonbonding Interactions on Carbon Dioxide Reduction

Hangman porphyrins influence the reaction rates of small molecule activation by positioning a functional group in the secondary coordination sphere of the metal center. Electrocatalysis by hangman porphyrins has examined only one face modification of the macrocycle with a hanging group, thus allowing for circumvention of secondary sphere effects by reaction of the small molecule on the opposite face of the hangman cleft. We now report the synthesis and characterization of a double hangman Fe porphyrin in which both faces of the macrocycle are modified with a hanging group. With this double hangman architecture, we are able to unequivocally examine the role of electrostatic interactions on the carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO₂RR) and show that CO₂RR rates are significantly attenuated, consistent with the initial reduction of CO₂ to generate the anion, whose binding is diminished within the negatively charged carboxylic groups of the hangman cleft. The results demonstrate the pronounced role that nonbonding electrostatic interactions may play in CO₂RR and highlight the need to manage deleterious electrostatic interactions during catalytic turnover.

Biomimetic Reactivity of Oxygen-Derived Manganese and Iron Porphyrinoid Complexes

Heme proteins utilize the heme cofactor, an iron porphyrin, to perform a diverse range of reactions including dioxygen binding and transport, electron transfer, and oxidation/oxygenations. These reactions share several key metalloporphyrin intermediates, typically derived from dioxygen and its congeners such as hydrogen peroxide. These species are composed of metal-dioxygen, metal-superoxo, metal-peroxo, and metal-oxo adducts. A wide variety of synthetic metalloporphyrinoid complexes have been synthesized to generate and stabilize these intermediates. These complexes have been studied to determine the spectroscopic features, structures, and reactivities of such species in controlled and well-defined environments. In this Review, we summarize recent findings on the reactivity of these species with common porphyrinoid scaffolds employed for biomimetic studies. The proposed mechanisms of action are emphasized. This Review is organized by structural type of metal-oxygen intermediate and broken into subsections based on the metal (manganese and iron) and porphyrinoid ligand (porphyrin, corrole, and corrolazine).

Post-synthetic modification of hangman porphyrins synthesized on the gram scale

We report a multi-gram scale synthesis of methyl 6-formyl-4-dibenzofurancarboxylate and its subsequent use in the gram scale synthesis of a dibenzofuran-functionalized hangman porphyrin containing a pendant carboxylic acid (HPD-CO2H). HPD-CO2H can be isolated as a free carboxylic acid in high purity with minimal purification. Post-synthetic modification of HPD-CO2H allows for the introduction of any desired pendant group in good yields, resulting in a practical amount of hangman porphyrin ligand with an easily customizable second coordination sphere. The cobalt complexes of these hangman porphyrins are shown to be active proton reduction electrocatalysts.

Pacman and hangman metal tetraazamacrocycles

Metal complexes of derivatized 2,12-dimethyl-3,7,11,17-tetraazabicyclo[11.3.1]heptadeca-1(17),2,11,13,15-pentane (bapa) ligands were prepared from 4-substituted diacetylpyridine derivatives by templated condensation with 3,3'-diaminodipropylamine in the presence of a metal halide or nitrate. The diacetylpyridine derivatives with Pacman and Hangman scaffolds are delivered from borylation of the 4-postion of diacetylpyridine and subsequent Suzuki coupling with the appropriate Hangman or Pacman backbone. Electrochemical examination of the parent [Co(bapa)](2+) scaffold reveals it to be a catalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in acetonitrile. Similar studies of the Hangman complex appear to be obscured by trace amounts of residual palladium remaining from the Suzuki coupling reaction to provide a cautionary note for the use of such cross-coupling methodologies in the preparation of HER catalysts.

Electron-transfer reduction of dinuclear copper peroxo and bis-μ-oxo complexes leading to the catalytic four-electron reduction of dioxygen to water

The four-electron reduction of dioxygen by decamethylferrocene (Fc*) to water is efficiently catalyzed by a binuclear copper(II) complex (1) and a mononuclear copper(II) complex (2) in the presence of trifluoroacetic acid in acetone at 298 K. Fast electron transfer from Fc* to 1 and 2 affords the corresponding Cu(I) complexes, which react at low temperature (193 K) with dioxygen to afford the η(2):η(2)-peroxo dicopper(II) (3) and bis-μ-oxo dicopper(III) (4) intermediates, respectively. The rate constants for electron transfer from Fc* and octamethylferrocene (Me(8)Fc) to 1 as well as electron transfer from Fc* and Me(8)Fc to 3 were determined at various temperatures, leading to activation enthalpies and entropies. The activation entropies of electron transfer from Fc* and Me(8)Fc to 1 were determined to be close to zero, as expected for outer-sphere electron-transfer reactions without formation of any intermediates. For electron transfer from Fc* and Me(8)Fc to 3, the activation entropies were also found to be close to zero. Such agreement indicates that the η(2):η(2)-peroxo complex (3) is directly reduced by Fc* rather than via the conversion to the corresponding bis-μ-oxo complex, followed by the electron-transfer reduction by Fc* leading to the four-electron reduction of dioxygen to water. The bis-μ-oxo species (4) is reduced by Fc* with a much faster rate than the η(2):η(2)-peroxo complex (3), but this also leads to the four-electron reduction of dioxygen to water.

Excited-state molecular structures captured by X-ray transient absorption spectroscopy: a decade and beyond

Transient molecular structures along chemical reaction pathways are important for predicting molecular reactivity, understanding reaction mechanisms, as well as controlling reaction pathways. During the past decade, X-ray transient absorption spectroscopy (XTA, or LITR-XAS, laser-initiated X-ray absorption spectroscopy), analogous to the commonly used optical transient absorption spectroscopy, has been developed. XTA uses a laser pulse to trigger a fundamental chemical process, and an X-ray pulse(s) to probe transient structures as a function of the time delay between the pump and probe pulses. Using X-ray pulses with high photon flux from synchrotron sources, transient electronic and molecular structures of metal complexes have been studied in disordered media from homogeneous solutions to heterogeneous solution-solid interfaces. Several examples from the studies at the Advanced Photon Source in Argonne National Laboratory are summarized, including excited-state metalloporphyrins, metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) states of transition metal complexes, and charge transfer states of metal complexes at the interface with semiconductor nanoparticles. Recent developments of the method are briefly described followed by a future prospective of XTA. It is envisioned that concurrent developments in X-ray free-electron lasers and synchrotron X-ray facilities as well as other table-top laser-driven femtosecond X-ray sources will make many breakthroughs and realise dreams of visualizing molecular movies and snapshots, which ultimately enable chemical reaction pathways to be controlled.