Ru(ii) water oxidation catalysts with 2,3-bis(2-pyridyl)pyrazine and tris(pyrazolyl)methane ligands: assembly of photo-active and catalytically active subunits in a dinuclear structure

Green Energy by Hydrogen Production from Water Splitting, Water Oxidation Catalysis and Acceptorless Dehydrogenative Coupling

In this review, we want to explain how the burning of fossil fuels is pushing us towards green energy. Actually, for a long time, we have believed that everything is profitable, that resources are unlimited and there are no consequences. However, the reality is often disappointing. The use of non-renewable resources, the excessive waste production and the abandonment of the task of recycling has created a fragile thread that, once broken, may never restore itself. Metaphors aside, we are talking about our planet, the Earth, and its unique ability to host life, including ourselves. Our world has its balance; when the wind erodes a mountain, a beach appears, or when a fire devastates an area, eventually new life emerges from the ashes. However, humans have been distorting this balance for decades. Our evolving way of living has increased the number of resources that each person consumes, whether food, shelter, or energy; we have overworked everything to exhaustion. Scientists worldwide have already said actively and passively that we are facing one of the biggest problems ever: climate change. This is unsustainable and we must try to revert it, or, if we are too late, slow it down as much as possible. To make this happen, there are many possible methods. In this review, we investigate catalysts for using water as an energy source, or, instead of water, alcohols. On the other hand, the recycling of gases such as CO2 and N2O is also addressed, but we also observe non-catalytic means of generating energy through solar cell production.

Synthesis, UV-visible spectroelectrochemistry and theoretical characterization of new polypyridyl Ru(II) complexes containing 2,4,6-tris(2-pyridyl)-1,3,5-triazine as precursors for water oxidation catalysts

In this work, we report the syntheses and physicochemical characterization of new chloro and aqua complexes of Ru(ii) with 2,4,6-tris(2-pyridyl)-1,3,5-triazine (tptz) and 2,2'-bipyridines substituted with donor and acceptor groups in the 4,4'-positions. The aqua complexes behave as precursors for water oxidation catalysts at pH = 1 using Ce(iv) as a sacrificial oxidant. Besides, the oxidized forms Ru(iv) and Ru(v) have been characterized at different pH values by electrochemistry, UV-Visible spectroscopy and spectroelectrochemistry. The reaction mechanisms were studied by combining mixing and stopped-flow experiments with spectrophotometric monitoring in the UV-visible region and all the rate constants were determined together with the corresponding TON and TOF values at pH = 1. Calculations based on Density Functional Theory (DFT and TD-DFT) were performed to support the experimental data.