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Title: Second Coordination Sphere Effects in an Evolved Ru Complex Based on Highly Adaptable Ligand Results in Rapid Water Oxidation Catalysis

Journal Article · · Journal of the American Chemical Society
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.9b11935· OSTI ID:1608772
ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [3]; ORCiD logo [3]; ORCiD logo [3]; ORCiD logo [3]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [4]; ORCiD logo [5]
  1. Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Tarragona (Spain). Inst. of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ); Rovira i Virgili University (URV), Tarragona (Spain). Dept. of Physical and Inorganic Chemistry
  2. Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Tarragona (Spain). Inst. of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ)
  3. Univ. of Nantes (France)
  4. Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
  5. Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Tarragona (Spain). Inst. of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ); Univ. Autonoma de Barcelona (Spain)

A new Ru complex containing the deprotonated 2,2':6',2"-terpyridine-6,6"-diphosphonic acid (H4tPa) and pyridine (py) of general formula [RuII(H3tPa-κ-N3O)(py)2]+, 2+, has been prepared and thoroughly characterized by means of spectroscopic and electrochemical techniques, X-ray diffraction analysis, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Complex 2+ presents a dynamic behavior in the solution that involves the synchronous coordination and the decoordination of the dangling phosphonic groups of the tPa4– ligand. Yet, at oxidation state IV, complex 2+ becomes seven coordinated with the two phosphonic groups now bonded to the metal center. Further, at this oxidation state at neutral and basic pH, the Ru complex undergoes the coordination of an exogenous OH group from the solvent that leads to an intramolecular aromatic O atom insertion into the CH bond of one of the pyridyl groups, forming the corresponding phenoxo-phosphonate Ru complex [RuIII(tPaO-κ-N2OPOC)(py)2]2–, 42–, where tPaO5– is the 3-(hydroxo-[2,2':6',2"-terpyridine]-6,6"-diyl)bis(phosphonate) ligand. This new in situ generated Ru complex, 42–, has been isolated and spectroscopically and electrochemically characterized. In addition, a crystal structure has been also obtained using single-crystal X-ray diffraction techniques. Complex 42– turns out to be an exceptional water oxidation catalyst achieving record maximum turnover frequencies (TOFmax) on the order of 16 000 s–1. A mechanistic analysis complemented with DFT calculations has further been carried out, showing the critical role of intramolecular second coordination sphere effects exerted by the phosphonate groups in lowering the activation energy at the rate-determining step.

Research Organization:
Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0012704; CTQ2016- 80058-R; CTQ2015-73028-EXP; SEV 2013-0319; ENE2016-82025-REDT; CTQ2016-81923-REDC
OSTI ID:
1608772
Report Number(s):
BNL-213794-2020-JAAM
Journal Information:
Journal of the American Chemical Society, Vol. 142, Issue 11; ISSN 0002-7863
Publisher:
American Chemical Society (ACS)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 56 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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