A planar binuclear cobalt(ii) phthalocyanine as a highly efficient catalyst for the oxidation of a mercaptan

Electrochemical Synthesis of Urea: Co-Reduction of Nitrite and Carbon Dioxide on Binuclear Cobalt Phthalocyanine

Exploration of molecular catalysts with the atomic-level tunability of molecular structures offers promising avenues for developing high-performance catalysts for the electrochemical co-reduction reaction of carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrite (NO2 -) into value-added urea. In this work, a binuclear cobalt phthalocyanine (biCoPc) catalyst is prepared through chemical synthesis and applied as a C─N coupling catalyst toward urea. Achieving a remarkable Faradaic efficiency of 47.4% for urea production at -0.5 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE), this biCoPc outperforms many known molecular catalysts in this specific application. Its unique planar macromolecular structure and the increased valence state of cobalt promote the adsorption of nitrogenous and carbonaceous species, a critical factor in facilitating the multi-electron C─N coupling. Combining highly sensitive in situ attenuated total reflection surface-enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy (ATR-SEIRAS) with density functional theory (DFT) calculations, the linear adsorbed CO (COL) and bridge adsorbed CO (COB) is captured on biCoPc catalyst during the co-reduction reaction. COB, a pivotal intermediate in the co-reduction from CO2 and nitrite to urea, is evidenced to be labile and may be attacked by nitrite, promoting urea production. This work demonstrates the importance of designing molecular catalysts for efficient co-reduction of CO2 and nitrite to urea.

Cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc) anchored on Ti3C2 MXene nanosheets for highly efficient selective catalytic oxidation

Quinclorac is an important precursor for pharmaceutical, agricultural, and synthetic chemistry. The state-of-the-art synthesis of quinclorac via condensation, chlorination and oxidative hydrolysis often uses homogeneous catalysts and strong acid oxidant agents to promote the catalytic oxidation, which requires huge manpower input for the late-stage purification process and is usually environmentally unfriendly. In this work, we successfully fabricated a stable cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc) Co-based composite (CoPc/Ti3C2) by anchoring CoPc on the surface of Ti3C2 nanosheets for the selective oxidation of 3,7-dichloro-8-dichloro methyl quinoline (3,7-D-8-DMQ) into quinclorac. More impressively, CoPc/Ti3C2-4.5%-Mn-Br exhibits a high selectivity of 91.8% for the catalytic oxidation of 3,7-D-8-DMQ to quinclorac in acetic acid, with a quinclorac yield of 87.5%, which is approximately 2.46 times higher than that of pristine CoPc-Mn-Br. The obtained heterogeneous catalytic system shows good reusability. Detailed mechanistic investigations reveal that the system works through the free radical mechanism via the formation of Co2+/Co3+ redox cycles. This work provides a new understanding for the stabilization of reaction intermediates and facilitates the design of catalysts for selective catalytic oxidation.

Binuclear Metal Phthalocyanines with Enhanced Activity in the Oxygen Evolution Reaction: A First-Principles Study

The rational design of efficient catalysts for the electrochemical oxygen evolution reaction (OER) critically relies on a comprehensive understanding of the reaction mechanisms. Herein, the alkaline OER on planar mononuclear metal phthalocyanines (MPc, where M = Mn, Co, Fe, and Ni) and binuclear metal phthalocyanines (bi-MPc) is studied using density functional theory (DFT) methods. Both FePc and bi-CoPc exhibit enhanced stability and OER activity, with the energy required for the leaching of central metal being as high as 2.28 and 2.45 eV and the overpotentials of the OER being 0.48 and 0.57 V, respectively. Through electronic structure analysis, it is found that, in the OER process of bi-MPc, the large macrocyclic ligand and metal ions not bonding with the intermediate can serve as hole reservoirs. Intermediate species are further stabilized by the dispersal of a positive charge, reducing the free energy. These findings underscore the significance of macrocyclic ligands in the rate-determining step of the OER catalyst.

New Insights into the Cooperativity and Dynamics of Dimeric Enzymes

A survey of protein databases indicates that the majority of enzymes exist in oligomeric forms, with about half of those found in the UniProt database being homodimeric. Understanding why many enzymes are in their dimeric form is imperative. Recent developments in experimental and computational techniques have allowed for a deeper comprehension of the cooperative interactions between the subunits of dimeric enzymes. This review aims to succinctly summarize these recent advancements by providing an overview of experimental and theoretical methods, as well as an understanding of cooperativity in substrate binding and the molecular mechanisms of cooperative catalysis within homodimeric enzymes. Focus is set upon the beneficial effects of dimerization and cooperative catalysis. These advancements not only provide essential case studies and theoretical support for comprehending dimeric enzyme catalysis but also serve as a foundation for designing highly efficient catalysts, such as dimeric organic catalysts. Moreover, these developments have significant implications for drug design, as exemplified by Paxlovid, which was designed for the homodimeric main protease of SARS-CoV-2.

Recent advances in electrocatalysis with phthalocyanines

Applications of phthalocyanines (Pcs) in electrocatalysis-including the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), the carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO₂RR), the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), and the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER)-have attracted considerable attention recently. Pcs and their derivatives are more attractive than many other macrocycles as electrocatalysts since, although they are structurally related to natural porphyrin complexes, they offer the advantages of low cost, facile synthesis and good chemical stability. Moreover, their high tailorability and structural diversity mean Pcs have great potential for application in electrochemical devices. Here we review the structure and composition of Pcs, methods of synthesis of Pcs and their analogues, as well as applications of Pc-based heterogeneous electrocatalysts. Optimization strategies for Pc-based materials for electrocatalysis of ORR, CO₂RR, OER and HER are proposed, based on the mechanisms of the different electrochemical reactions. We also discuss the structure/composition-catalytic activity relationships for different Pc materials and Pc-based electrocatalysts in order to identify future practical applications. Finally, future opportunities and challenges in the use of molecular Pcs and Pc derivatives as electrocatalysts are discussed.

Efficient Catalytic Degradation of Phenol with Phthalocyanine-Immobilized Reduced Graphene-Bacterial Cellulose Nanocomposite

In this report, phthalocyanine (Pc)/reduced graphene (rG)/bacterial cellulose (BC) ternary nanocomposite, Pc-rGBC, was developed through the immobilization of Pc onto a reduced graphene-bacterial cellulose (rGBC) nanohybrid after the reduction of biosynthesized graphene oxide-bacterial cellulose (GOBC) with N₂H₄. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) were employed to monitor all of the functionalization processes. The Pc-rGBC nanocomposite was applied for the treatment of phenol wastewater. Thanks to the synergistic effect of BC and rG, Pc-rGBC had good adsorption capacity to phenol molecules, and the equilibrium adsorption data fitted well with the Freundlich model. When H₂O₂ was presented as an oxidant, phenol could rapidly be catalytically decomposed by the Pc-rGBC nanocomposite; the phenol degradation ratio was more than 90% within 90 min of catalytic oxidation, and the recycling experiment showed that the Pc-rGBC nanocomposite had excellent recycling performance in the consecutive treatment of phenol wastewater. The HPLC result showed that several organic acids, such as oxalic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, glutaric acid, and adipic acid, were formed during the reaction. The chemical oxygen demand (COD) result indicated that the formed organic acids could be further mineralized to CO₂ and H₂O, and the mineralization ratio was more than 80% when the catalytic reaction time was prolonged to 4 h. This work is of vital importance, in terms of both academic research and industrial practice, to the design of Pc-based functional materials and their application in environmental purification.

Metallophthalocyanines as Catalysts in Aerobic Oxidation

The first remarkable property associated to metallophthalocyanines (MPcs) was their chemical “inertness”, which made and make them very attractive as stable and durable industrial dyes. Nevertheless, their rich redox chemistry was also explored in the last decades, making available a solid and detailed knowledge background for further studies on the suitability of MPcs as redox catalysts. An overlook of MPcs and their catalytic activity with dioxygen as oxidants will be discussed here with a special emphasis on the last decade. The mini-review begins with a short introduction to phthalocyanines, from their structure to their main features, going then through the redox chemistry of metallophthalocyanines and their catalytic activity in aerobic oxidation reactions. The most significant systems described in the literature comprise the oxidation of organosulfur compounds such as thiols and thiophenes, the functionalization of alkyl arenes, alcohols, olefins, among other substrates.

Facile One-Step Fabrication of Phthalocyanine-Graphene-Bacterial-Cellulose Nanocomposite with Superior Catalytic Performance

It is generally accepted that the convenient fabrication of a metal phthalocyanine-based heterogeneous catalyst with superior catalytic activity is crucial for its application. Herein, a novel and versatile ultrasonic-assisted biosynthesis approach (conducting ultrasonic treatment during biosynthesis process) was tactfully adopted for the direct immobilization of a sulfonated cobalt phthalocyanine (PcS) catalyst onto a graphene-bacterial cellulose (GBC) substrate without any modification. The prepared phthalocyanine-graphene-bacterial-cellulose nanocomposite, PcS@GBC, was characterized by field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The catalytic activity of the PcS@GBC was evaluated based on its catalytic oxidation performance to dye solution, with H₂O₂ used as an oxidant. More than a 140% increase of dye removal percentage for the PcS@GBC heterogeneous catalyst was found compared with that of PcS. The unique hierarchical architecture of the GBC substrate and the strong interaction between PcS and graphene, which were verified experimentally by ultraviolet-visible light spectroscopy (UV-vis) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and theoretically by density functional theory (DFT) calculation, were synergistically responsible for the substantial enhancement of catalytic activity. The accelerated formation of the highly reactive hydroxyl radical (·OH) for PcS@GBC was directly evidenced by the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spin-trapping technique. A possible catalytic oxidation mechanism for the PcS@GBC-H₂O₂ system was illustrated. This work provides a new insight into the design and construction of a highly reactive metal phthalocyanine-based catalyst, and the practical application of this functional nanomaterial in the field of environmental purification is also promising.