Aaron K. Vannucci

Molecular Chromophore–Catalyst Assemblies for Solar Fuel Applications

Applications Dennis L. Ashford,† Melissa K. Gish,† Aaron K. Vannucci,‡ M. Kyle Brennaman,† Joseph L. Templeton,† John M. Papanikolas,† and Thomas J. Meyer*,† †Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB 3290, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States ‡Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina 29208, United States

Electrocatalytic Water Oxidation by a Monomeric Amidate-Ligated Fe(III)–Aqua Complex

The six-coordinate Fe(III)-aqua complex [Fe(III)(dpaq)(H2O)](2+) (1, dpaq is 2-[bis(pyridine-2-ylmethyl)]amino-N-quinolin-8-yl-acetamido) is an electrocatalyst for water oxidation in propylene carbonate-water mixtures. An electrochemical kinetics study has revealed that water oxidation occurs by oxidation to Fe(V)(O)(2+) followed by a reaction first order in catalyst and added water, respectively, with ko = 0.035(4) M(-1) s(-1) by the single-site mechanism found previously for Ru and Ir water oxidation catalysts. Sustained water oxidation catalysis occurs at a high surface area electrode to give O2 through at least 29 turnovers over an 15 h electrolysis period with a 45% Faradaic yield and no observable decomposition of the catalyst.

The role of proton coupled electron transfer in water oxidation

Water oxidation is a key half reaction in energy conversion schemes based on solar fuels and targets such as light driven water splitting or carbon dioxide reduction into CO, other oxygenates, or hydrocarbons. Carrying out these reactions at rates that exceed the rate of solar insolation for the extended periods of time required for useful applications presents a major challenge. Water oxidation is the key “other” half reaction in these schemes and it is dominated by PCET given its multi-electron, multi-proton character, 2H2O → O2 + 4e− + 4H+. Identification of PCET was an offshoot of experiments designed to investigate energy conversion by electron transfer quenching of molecular excited states. The concepts “redox potential leveling” and concerted electron–proton transfer came from measurements on stepwise oxidation of cis-RuII(bpy)2(py)(OH2)2+ to RuIV(bpy)2(py)(O)2+. The Ru “blue dimer”, cis,cis-(bpy)2(H2O)RuORu(OH2)(bpy)24+, was the first designed catalyst for water oxidation. It undergoes oxidative activation by PCET to give the transient (bpy)2(O)RuVORuV(O)(bpy)24+, O-atom attack on water to give a peroxidic intermediate, and further oxidation and O2 release. More recently, a class of single site water oxidation catalysts has been identified, e.g., Ru(tpy)(bpm)(OH2)2+ (tpy is 2,2′:6′,2′′-terpyridine; bpm is 2,2′-bipyrimidine). They undergo stepwise PCET oxidation to RuIV=O2+ or RuV(O)3+ followed by O-atom transfer with formation of peroxidic intermediates which undergo further oxidation and O2 release. PCET plays a key role in the three zones of water oxidation reactivity: oxidative activation, O⋯O bond formation, oxidation and O2 release from peroxidic intermediates. Similar schemes have been identified for electrocatalytic water oxidation on oxide electrode surfaces based on phosphonated derivatives such as [Ru(Mebimpy)(4,4′-(PO3H2CH2)2bpy)(OH2)]2+. A PCET barrier to RuIII–OH2+ → RuIV=O2+ oxidation arises from the large difference in pKa values between RuIII–OH2+ and RuIV(OH)3+. On oxide surfaces this oxidation occurs by multiple pathways. Kinetic, mechanistic, and DFT results on single site catalysts reveal a new pathway for the O⋯O bond forming step (Atom-Proton Transfer, APT), significant rate enhancements by added proton acceptor bases, and accelerated water oxidation in propylene carbonate as solvent with water added as a stoichiometric reagent. Lessons learned about water oxidation and the role of PCET and concerted pathways appear to have direct relevance for water oxidation in Photosystem II (PSII) with PSII a spectacular example of PCET in action. This includes a key role for Multiple Site-Electron Proton Transfer in oxidative activation of the Oxygen Evolving Complex (OEC) in the S0 → S1 transition in the Kok cycle.

Crossing the divide between homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis in water oxidation.

Significance An atomic layer deposition (ALD) procedure is described for stabilizing surface binding of a water oxidation catalyst to the surfaces of nanostructured films of indium tin oxide. The catalyst is stabilized on the surface of electrodes by ALD of an overlayer of TiO2. Stabilization of surface binding allows use of basic solutions where a rate enhancement for water oxidation of ∼106 is observed compared with acidic conditions. There are important implications for stabilizing surface-bound molecular assemblies for applications in dye sensitized solar cells, electrocatalysis, and photoelectrocatalysis. Enhancing the surface binding stability of chromophores, catalysts, and chromophore–catalyst assemblies attached to metal oxide surfaces is an important element in furthering the development of dye sensitized solar cells, photoelectrosynthesis cells, and interfacial molecular catalysis. Phosphonate-derivatized catalysts and molecular assemblies provide a basis for sustained water oxidation on these surfaces in acidic solution but are unstable toward hydrolysis and loss from surfaces as the pH is increased. Here, we report enhanced surface binding stability of a phosphonate-derivatized water oxidation catalyst over a wide pH range (1–12) by atomic layer deposition of an overlayer of TiO2. Increased stability of surface binding, and the reactivity of the bound catalyst, provides a hybrid approach to heterogeneous catalysis combining the advantages of systematic modifications possible by chemical synthesis with heterogeneous reactivity. For the surface-stabilized catalyst, greatly enhanced rates of water oxidation are observed upon addition of buffer bases and with a pathway identified in which O-atom transfer to OH− occurs with a rate constant increase of 106 compared to water oxidation in acid.

Water oxidation by an electropolymerized catalyst on derivatized mesoporous metal oxide electrodes.

A general electropolymerization/electro-oligomerization strategy is described for preparing spatially controlled, multicomponent films and surface assemblies having both light harvesting chromophores and water oxidation catalysts on metal oxide electrodes for applications in dye-sensitized photoelectrosynthesis cells (DSPECs). The chromophore/catalyst ratio is controlled by the number of reductive electrochemical cycles. Catalytic rate constants for water oxidation by the polymer films are similar to those for the phosphonated molecular catalyst on metal oxide electrodes, indicating that the physical properties of the catalysts are not significantly altered in the polymer films. Controlled potential electrolysis shows sustained water oxidation over multiple hours with no decrease in the catalytic current.

Base-enhanced catalytic water oxidation by a carboxylate-bipyridine Ru(II) complex

Significance Development of rapid, robust water oxidation catalysts remains an essential element in solar water splitting by artificial photosynthesis. We report here dramatic rate enhancements with added buffer bases for a robust Ru(II) polypyridyl catalyst with a calculated half-time for water oxidation of ∼7 μs in 1.0 M phosphate. The results of detailed kinetic studies provide insight into the water oxidation mechanism and an important role for added buffer bases in accelerating water oxidation by concerted atom–proton transfer. In aqueous solution above pH 2.4 with 4% (vol/vol) CH3CN, the complex [RuII(bda)(isoq)2] (bda is 2,2′-bipyridine-6,6′-dicarboxylate; isoq is isoquinoline) exists as the open-arm chelate, [RuII(CO2-bpy-CO2−)(isoq)2(NCCH3)], as shown by 1H and 13C-NMR, X-ray crystallography, and pH titrations. Rates of water oxidation with the open-arm chelate are remarkably enhanced by added proton acceptor bases, as measured by cyclic voltammetry (CV). In 1.0 M PO43–, the calculated half-time for water oxidation is ∼7 μs. The key to the rate accelerations with added bases is direct involvement of the buffer base in either atom–proton transfer (APT) or concerted electron–proton transfer (EPT) pathways.

Proton-coupled electron transfer at modified electrodes by multiple pathways

In single site water or hydrocarbon oxidation catalysis with polypyridyl Ru complexes such as [RuII(Mebimpy)(bpy)(H2O)]2+ [where bpy is 2,2′-bipyridine, and Mebimpy is 2,6-bis(1-methylbenzimidazol-2-yl)pyridine] 2, or its surface-bound analog [RuII(Mebimpy)(4,4′-bis-methlylenephosphonato-2,2′-bipyridine)(OH2)]2+ 2-PO3H2, accessing the reactive states, RuV = O3+/RuIV = O2+, at the electrode interface is typically rate limiting. The higher oxidation states are accessible by proton-coupled electron transfer oxidation of aqua precursors, but access at inert electrodes is kinetically inhibited. The inhibition arises from stepwise mechanisms which impose high energy barriers for 1e- intermediates. Oxidation of the RuIII-OH2+ or forms of 2-PO3H2 to RuIV = O2+ on planar fluoride-doped SnO2 electrode and in nanostructured films of Sn(IV)-doped In2O3 and TiO2 has been investigated with a focus on identifying microscopic phenomena. The results provide direct evidence for important roles for the nature of the electrode, temperature, surface coverage, added buffer base, pH, solvent, and solvent H2O/D2O isotope effects. In the nonaqueous solvent, propylene carbonate, there is evidence for a role for surface-bound phosphonate groups as proton acceptors.

Visible Light Driven Benzyl Alcohol Dehydrogenation in a Dye-Sensitized Photoelectrosynthesis Cell

Light-driven dehydrogenation of benzyl alcohol (BnOH) to benzaldehyde and hydrogen has been shown to occur in a dye-sensitized photoelectrosynthesis cell (DSPEC). In the DSPEC, the photoanode consists of mesoporous films of TiO2 nanoparticles or of core/shell nanoparticles with tin-doped In2O3 nanoparticle (nanoITO) cores and thin layers of TiO2 deposited by atomic layer deposition (nanoITO/TiO2). Metal oxide surfaces were coderivatized with both a ruthenium polypyridyl chromophore in excess and an oxidation catalyst. Chromophore excitation and electron injection were followed by cross-surface electron-transfer activation of the catalyst to -Ru(IV)═O(2+), which then oxidizes benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde. The injected electrons are transferred to a Pt electrode for H2 production. The nanoITO/TiO2 core/shell structure causes a decrease of up to 2 orders of magnitude in back electron-transfer rate compared to TiO2. At the optimized shell thickness, sustained absorbed photon to current efficiency of 3.7% was achieved for BnOH dehydrogenation, an enhancement of ~10 compared to TiO2.

One-electron activation of water oxidation catalysis.

Rapid water oxidation catalysis is observed following electrochemical oxidation of [Ru(II)(tpy)(bpz)(OH)](+) to [Ru(V)(tpy)(bpz)(O)](3+) in basic solutions with added buffers. Under these conditions, water oxidation is dominated by base-assisted Atom Proton Transfer (APT) and direct reaction with OH(-). More importantly, we report here that the Ru(IV)═O(2+) form of the catalyst, produced by 1e(-) oxidation of [Ru(II)(tpy)(bpz)(OH2)](2+) to Ru(III) followed by disproportionation to [Ru(IV)(tpy)(bpz)(O)](2+) and [Ru(II)(tpy)(bpz)(OH2)](2+), is also a competent water oxidation catalyst. The rate of water oxidation by [Ru(IV)(tpy)(bpz)(O)](2+) is greatly accelerated with added PO4(3-) with a turnover frequency of 5.4 s(-1) reached at pH 11.6 with 1 M PO4(3-) at an overpotential of only 180 mV.

Redox‐Active Corannulene Buckybowls in a Crystalline Hybrid Scaffold

A porous crystalline corannulene-containing scaffold, which combines the periodicity, dimensionality, and structural modularity of hybrid frameworks with the intrinsic properties of redox-active π-bowls, has been prepared. Single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction, ab initio density functional theory computations, gas sorption analysis, fluorescence spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry were employed to study the properties of the novel corannulene derivatives and the buckybowl-based hybrid materials. X-ray diffraction studies revealed the preservation of the corannulene bowl inside the prepared rigid matrix, which offers the unique opportunity to extend the scaffold dimensionality through the buckybowl curvature. Merging the inherent properties of hybrid frameworks with the intrinsic properties of π-bowls opens a new avenue for preparing redox-active materials and potentially improving charge transport in the scaffold.