Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Electrocatalytic four-electron reduction of dioxygen by iridium porphyrins adsorbed on graphite

Journal Article · · J. Am. Chem. Soc.; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/ja00284a067· OSTI ID:6956873

The electrocatalytic reduction of dioxygen by macrocyclic transition-metal complexes adsorbed on electrodes has been studied extensively in conjunction with the search for an inexpensive cathode material for oxygen fuel cells. The authors and other laboratories have shown that dicobalt cofacial porphyrin dimers can catalyze dioxygen reduction to water without producing significant amounts of hydrogen peroxide. To our knowledge, however, no monomeric macrocyclic metal complex has been reported to catalyze the direct four-electron reduction of dioxygen in acidic solution. In a survey of electrocatalytic oxygen reduction by various metalloporphyrins adsorbed on activated carbon, iridium complexes were reported to be the most active catalysts. Since the reduction product and the reaction pathway had not been elucidated in that work, they were prompted to study the electrocatalytic activity of iridium porphyrins toward dioxygen reduction. Here they report the first observation of a direct four-electron reduction of dioxygen catalyzed by Ir(OEP)H adsorbed on graphite in acidic electrolyte solution.

Research Organization:
Stanford Univ., CA
OSTI ID:
6956873
Journal Information:
J. Am. Chem. Soc.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Am. Chem. Soc.; (United States) Vol. 108:24; ISSN JACSA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English