Electropolymerized manganese porphyrin films as catalytic electrode materials for biomimetic oxidations with molecular oxygen

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.

Designing Sites in Heterogeneous Catalysis: Are We Reaching Selectivities Competitive With Those of Homogeneous Catalysts?

A critical review of different prominent nanotechnologies adapted to catalysis is provided, with focus on how they contribute to the improvement of selectivity in heterogeneous catalysis. Ways to modify catalytic sites range from the use of the reversible or irreversible adsorption of molecular modifiers to the immobilization or tethering of homogeneous catalysts and the development of well-defined catalytic sites on solid surfaces. The latter covers methods for the dispersion of single-atom sites within solid supports as well as the use of complex nanostructures, and it includes the post-modification of materials via processes such as silylation and atomic layer deposition. All these methodologies exhibit both advantages and limitations, but all offer new avenues for the design of catalysts for specific applications. Because of the high cost of most nanotechnologies and the fact that the resulting materials may exhibit limited thermal or chemical stability, they may be best aimed at improving the selective synthesis of high value-added chemicals, to be incorporated in organic synthesis schemes, but other applications are being explored as well to address problems in energy production, for instance, and to design greener chemical processes. The details of each of these approaches are discussed, and representative examples are provided. We conclude with some general remarks on the future of this field.

Reductive electropolymerization of N-methyl-3-pyridylethynyl-porphyrins

The first reductive electropolymerization of porphyrins was studied by cyclic voltammetry, UV-visible and FT-IR spectroscopy, and theoretical calculations.

Polypyrrole-functionalized ruthenium carbene catalysts as efficient heterogeneous systems for olefin epoxidation

New Ru complexes containing the bpea-pyr ligand (bpea-pyr stands for N,N-bis(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)-3-(1H-pyrrol-1-yl)propan-1-amine), with the formula [RuCl2(bpea-pyr)(dmso)] (isomeric complexes 2a and 2b) or [Ru(CN-Me)(bpea-pyr)X)](n+) (CN-Me = 3-methyl-1-(pyridin-2-yl)-1H-imidazol-3-ium-2-ide; X = Cl, 3, or X = H2O, 4), have been prepared and fully characterized. Complexes 3 and 4 have been anchored onto an electrode surface through electropolymerization of the attached pyrrole group, yielding stable polypyrrole films. The electrochemical behaviour of 4, which displays a bielectronic Ru(IV/II) redox pair in solution, is dramatically affected by the electropolymerization process leading to the occurrence of two monoelectronic Ru(IV/III) and Ru(III/II) redox pairs in the heterogeneous system. A carbon felt modified electrode containing complex 4 (C-felt/poly-4) has been evaluated as a heterogeneous catalyst in the epoxidation of various olefin substrates using PhI(OAc)2 as an oxidant, displaying TON values of several thousands in all cases and good selectivity for the epoxide product.

Characterization of electrodes chemically modified with Mn(III) porphyrin/polypyrrole films as catalytic surfaces for an azo dye

In this study we describe the electrochemical behavior of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(2'-aminophenylporphyrin)manganese(III) chloride supported on a glassy carbon electrode, as well as the electrochemical preparation and characterization of thin films based on pyrrole-3-carboxylic acid. The electrocatalytic action of the electrode modified with the Mn(III) porphyrin toward an azo dye was tested, and the characteristic strong interaction between the incorporated metalloporphyrin and RR120 dye was verified.

Metal insertion into phosphonic acid terminated porphyrins immobilized on TiO2 electrodes

In this study an easy access for modification of properties of porphyrin covered TiO2 electrodes by post-assembling metal insertion was investigated. Therefore a new type of phosphonic acid terminated porphyrin was synthesized and immobilized on mesoporous TiO2 electrodes by self-assembling. Surface concentrations in a range of 1.5–3.3 × 10-8 mol.cm-2, based on the geometric area, were obtained by two independent techniques, UV-vis and cyclic voltammetry. Co(II) , Zn(II) , Pd(II) and Mn(III) ions could be inserted into the immobilized porphyrin by exposing the electrode to a boiling solution of metal chloride in methanol. The electrode surface was characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry before and after metal insertion. The electrocatalytic activity towards the reduction of molecular oxygen in acidic solution was examined, further confirming metal insertion into immobilized porphyrin monolayer.

Synthesis and multilayer assembly of multiporphyrin arrays at the water-chloroform interface

A water-chloroform interface was developed for the synthesis and assembly of the cadmium-mediated multiporphyrin arrays. With the use of a vertical dipping method, multilayers of the multiporphyrin can be deposited onto hydrophobic substrate surfaces. An in situ absorbance measurement at the water-porphyrin chloroform interface revealed a blue shift for the porphyrin Soret band after the addition of CdCl 2 into the water phase. The transferred multilayers showed a broad Soret band from 430 to 442 nm, which is ascribed to monomer-like porphyrin arrangement in the planar layer and aggregates in the interlayer. The orientation angle of porphyrin macrocycles is about 30°. The porphyrin emission properties in the present multilayers are compared to those in the monomer and aggregate prepared from the air-water/ CdCl 2 subphase surfaces.

Synthesis and characterization of periphery-functionalized porphyrazines containing mixed pyrrolyl and pyridylmethylamino groups

The condensation reaction of 2-amino-3-[(3-pyridylmethyl)amino]-2(Z)-butene-1,4-dinitrile with a series of diketones led to novel dinitriles, of which 2-(2,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrrol-1-yl)-3-[methyl(3-pyridylmethylene)amino]-2(Z)-butene-1,4-dinitrile, the product of the Paal-Knorr reaction, was successfully utilized in the Linstead macrocyclization towards symmetrical and unsymmetrical porphyrazines. NMR and X-ray study revealed an almost perpendicular orientation of the pyrrolyl groups in relation to the porphyrazine platform. The newly synthesized macrocycles with different peripheral groups show interesting spectroscopic and electrochemical properties. Due to selective sensor/coordination properties they are expected to find applications as chemical sensors and electronic materials.

Synthesis, electrochemistry, spectroscopy and photophysical properties of a series of meso-phenylpyridylporphyrins with one to four pyridyl rings coordinated to [Ru(bipy)2Cl]+ groups

A series of meso-phenylpyridylporphyrins and their respective supermolecular species obtained by the coordination of [ Ru ( bipy )2 Cl ]+ groups to the pyridyl substituents was synthesized and characterized. Their spectroscopic and electrochemical behavior were similar to that observed for the meso-tetra(4-pyridyl)porphyrin derivative, but the redox potential of the Ru (III/II) redox pair was about 70 mV more negative. The porphyrin centered fluorescence quantum yield exhibited a linear decrease as a function of the number of pyridyl substituents on the porphyrin ring. Efficient intramolecular energy transfer processes from the 3 MLCT state of the ruthenium complexes to the porphyrin center were observed at 77K in ethanol glass.

Organic Cross-Linked Electropolymers as Supported Oxidation Catalysts: Poly((tetrakis(9,9‘-spirobifluorenyl)porphyrin)manganese) Films

Anodic oxidation of free base and manganese complexes of tetraspirobifluorenylporphyrins leads to the coating of the working electrode by insoluble electroactive poly(9,9'-spirobifluorene-free and manganese porphyrin) films which electrochemical behavior and physicochemical properties are described. After removal from the electrode, the manganese-complexed polymers were evaluated as catalysts for the oxidation of alkenes by iodobenzene diacetate or iodosylbenzene. The results show that the reactions proceeded very efficiently at room temperature with good yields. The electrosynthesized polymer catalysts can be recycled by simple filtration and reused even up to the eighth cycle without loss of activity and selectivity. These results represent an important improvement over those previously described for manganese-porphyrin-catalyzed epoxidation reactions.

Thin molecular films of supramolecular porphyrins

A relevant series of symmetric supramolecular porphyrins has been obtained by attaching four [RuII(bipy)2Cl] groups to the pyridyl substituents of meso-tetra(4-pyridyl)porphyrin and its metallated derivatives. These compounds display a rich electrochemistry and versatile catalytic, electrocatalytic and photochemical properties, associated with the ruthenium-bipyridine and the porphyrin complexes. These properties can be transferred to the electrodes by attaching thin molecular films of the compounds, by dip-coating, electrostatic assembly or electropolymerization. In this way, the interesting properties of those supermolecules and supramolecular assemblies can be used to prepare molecular devices and sensors.