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Conspectus
Nature has established a sustainable way to maintain aerobic life on earth by inventing one of the most sophisticated biological processes, namely, natural photosynthesis, which delivers us with organic matter and molecular oxygen derived from the two abundant resources sunlight and water. The thermodynamically demanding photosynthetic water splitting is catalyzed by the oxygen-evolving complex in photosystem II (OEC-PSII), which comprises a distorted tetramanganese–calcium cluster (CaMn\(_4\)O\(_5\)) as catalytic core. As an ubiquitous concept for fine-tuning and regulating the reactivity of the active site of metalloenzymes, the surrounding protein domain creates a sophisticated environment that promotes substrate preorganization through secondary, noncovalent interactions such as hydrogen bonding or electrostatic interactions. Based on the high-resolution X-ray structure of PSII, several water channels were identified near the active site, which are filled with extensive hydrogen-bonding networks of preorganized water molecules, connecting the OEC with the protein surface. As an integral part of the outer coordination sphere of natural metalloenzymes, these channels control the substrate and product delivery, carefully regulate the proton flow by promoting pivotal proton-coupled electron transfer processes, and simultaneously stabilize short-lived oxidized intermediates, thus highlighting the importance of an ordered water network for the remarkable efficiency of the natural OEC.
Transferring this concept from nature to the engineering of artificial metal catalysts for fuel production has fostered the fascinating field of metallosupramolecular chemistry by generating defined cavities that conceptually mimic enzymatic pockets. However, the application of supramolecular approaches to generate artificial water oxidation catalysts remained scarce prior to our initial reports, since such molecular design strategies for efficient activation of substrate water molecules in confined nanoenvironments were lacking. In this Account, we describe our research efforts on combining the state-of-the art Ru(bda) catalytic framework with structurally programmed ditopic ligands to guide the water oxidation process in defined metallosupramolecular assemblies in spatial proximity. We will elucidate the governing factors that control the quality of hydrogen-bonding water networks in multinuclear cavities of varying sizes and geometries to obtain high-performance, state-of-the-art water oxidation catalysts. Pushing the boundaries of artificial catalyst design, embedding a single catalytic Ru center into a well-defined molecular pocket enabled sophisticated water preorganization in front of the active site through an encoded basic recognition site, resulting in high catalytic rates comparable to those of the natural counterpart OEC-PSII.
To fully explore their potential for solar fuel devices, the suitability of our metallosupramolecular assemblies was demonstrated under (electro)chemical and photocatalytic water oxidation conditions. In addition, testing the limits of structural diversity allowed the fabrication of self-assembled linear coordination oligomers as novel photocatalytic materials and long-range ordered covalent organic framework (COF) materials as recyclable and long-term stable solid-state materials for future applications.
The reversible condensation of catechols and boronic acids to boronate esters is a paradigm reaction in dynamic covalent chemistry. However, facile backward hydrolysis is detrimental for stability and has so far prevented applications for boronate-based materials. Here, we introduce cubic boronate ester cages 6 derived from hexahydroxy tribenzotriquinacenes and phenylene diboronic acids with ortho-t-butyl substituents. Due to steric shielding, dynamic exchange at the Lewis acidic boron sites is feasible only under acid or base catalysis but fully prevented at neutral conditions. For the first time, boronate ester cages 6 tolerate substantial amounts of water or alcohols both in solution and solid state. The unprecedented applicability of these materials under ambient and aqueous conditions is showcased by efficient encapsulation and on-demand release of β-carotene dyes and heterogeneous water oxidation catalysis after the encapsulation of ruthenium catalysts.
AbstractWater oxidation catalysis is a key step for sustainable fuel production by water splitting into hydrogen and oxygen. The synthesis of a novel coordination oligomer based on four Ru(bda) (bda = 2,2′‐bipyridine‐6,6′‐dicarboxylate) centers, three 4,4′‐bipyridine (4,4′‐bpy) linkers, and two 4‐picoline (4‐pic) end caps is reported. The monodispersity of this tetranuclear compound is characterized by NMR techniques. Heterogeneous electrochemical water oxidation after immobilization on multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) shows catalytic performance unprecedented for this compound class, with a turnover frequency (TOF) of 133 s\(^{−1}\) and a turnover number (TON) of 4.89 × 10\(^6\), at a current density of 43.8 mA cm\(^{−2}\) and a potential of 1.45 V versus normal hydrogen electrode (NHE).
Activating delayed fluorescence emission in a dilute solution via a non-covalent approach is a formidable challenge. In this report, we propose a strategy for efficient delayed fluorescence generation in dilute solution using a non-covalent approach via supramolecularly engineered cyclophane-based nanoenvironments that provide sufficient binding strength to π-conjugated guests and that can stabilize triplet excitons by reducing vibrational dissipation and lowering the singlet–triplet energy gap for efficient delayed fluorescence emission. Toward this goal, a novel biphenyl bisimide-derived cyclophane is introduced as an electron-deficient and efficient triplet-generating host. Upon encapsulation of various carbazole-derived guests inside the nanocavity of this cyclophane, emissive charge transfer (CT) states close to the triplet energy level of the biphenyl bisimide are generated. The experimental results of host–guest studies manifest high association constants up to 10\(^4\) M\(^{–1}\) as the prerequisite for inclusion complex formation, the generation of emissive CT states, and triplet-state stabilization in a diluted solution state. By means of different carbazole guest molecules, we could realize tunable delayed fluorescence emission in this carbazole-encapsulated biphenyl bisimide cyclophane in methylcyclohexane/carbon tetrachloride solutions with a quantum yield (QY) of up to 15.6%. Crystal structure analyses and solid-state photophysical studies validate the conclusions from our solution studies and provide insights into the delayed fluorescence emission mechanism.
Proton‐coupled electron‐transfer (PCET) processes play a key role in biocatalytic energy conversion and storage, for example, photosynthesis or nitrogen fixation. Here, we report a series of bipyridine‐containing di‐ to tetranuclear Ru(bda) macrocycles 2 C–4 C (bda: 2,2′‐bipyridine‐6,6′‐dicarboxylate) to promote O−O bond formation. In photocatalytic water oxidation under neutral conditions, all complexes 2 C–4 C prevail in a folded conformation that support the water nucleophilic attack (WNA) pathway with remarkable turnover frequencies of up to 15.5 s\(^{−1}\) per Ru unit respectively. Single‐crystal X‐ray analysis revealed an increased tendency for intramolecular π‐π stacking and preorganization of the proximal bases close to the active centers for the larger macrocycles. H/D kinetic isotope effect studies and electrochemical data demonstrate the key role of the proximal bipyridines as proton acceptors in lowering the activation barrier for the crucial nucleophilic attack of H\(_{2}\)O in the WNA mechanism.
Water‐soluble cationic perylene diimide dyes as stable photocatalysts for H\(_2\)O\(_2\) evolution
(2023)
Photocatalytic generation of hydrogen peroxide, H\(_2\)O\(_2\), has gained increasing attention in recent years, with applications ranging from solar energy conversion to biophysical research. While semiconducting solid‐state materials are normally regarded as the workhorse for photogeneration of H\(_2\)O\(_2\), an intriguing alternative for on‐demand H\(_2\)O\(_2\) is the use of photocatalytic organic dyes. Herein we report the use of water‐soluble dyes based on perylene diimide molecules which behave as true molecular catalysts for the light‐induced conversion of dissolved oxygen to hydrogen peroxide. In particular, we address how to obtain visible‐light photocatalysts which are stable with respect to aggregation and photochemical degradation. We report on the factors affecting efficiency and stability, including variable electron donors, oxygen partial pressure, pH, and molecular catalyst structure. The result is a perylene diimide derivative with unprecedented peroxide evolution performance using a broad range of organic donor molecules and operating in a wide pH range.
Inspired by the proficiency of natural enzymes, mimicking of nanoenvironments for precise substrate preorganisation is a promising strategy in catalyst design. However, artificial examples of enzyme-like activation of H\(_2\)O molecules for the challenging oxidative water splitting reaction are hardly explored. Here, we introduce a mononuclear Ru(bda) complex (M1, bda: 2,2’-bipyridine-6,6’-dicarboxylate) equipped with a bipyridine-functionalized ligand to preorganize H\(_2\)O molecules in front of the metal center as in enzymatic clefts. The confined pocket of M1 accelerates chemically driven water oxidation at pH 1 by facilitating a water nucleophilic attack pathway with a remarkable turnover frequency of 140 s\(^{−1}\) that is comparable to the oxygen-evolving complex of photosystem II. Single crystal X-ray analysis of M1 under catalytic conditions allowed the observation of a 7th H\(_2\)O ligand directly coordinated to a RuIII center. Via a well-defined hydrogen-bonding network, another H\(_2\)O substrate is preorganized for the crucial O–O bond formation via nucleophilic attack.
The future of water-derived hydrogen as the “sustainable energy source” straightaway bets on the success of the sluggish oxygen-generating half-reaction. The endeavor to emulate the natural photosystem II for efficient water oxidation has been extended across the spectrum of organic and inorganic combinations. However, the achievement has so far been restricted to homogeneous catalysts rather than their pristine heterogeneous forms. The poor structural understanding and control over the mechanistic pathway often impede the overall development. Herein, we have synthesized a highly crystalline covalent organic framework (COF) for chemical and photochemical water oxidation. The interpenetrated structure assures the catalyst stability, as the catalyst’s performance remains unaltered after several cycles. This COF exhibits the highest ever accomplished catalytic activity for such an organometallic crystalline solid-state material where the rate of oxygen evolution is as high as ∼26,000 μmol L\(^{–1}\) s\(^{–1}\) (second-order rate constant k ≈ 1650 μmol L s\(^{–1}\) g\(^{–2}\)). The catalyst also proves its exceptional activity (k ≈ 1600 μmol L s\(^{–1}\) g\(^{–2}\)) during light-driven water oxidation under very dilute conditions. The cooperative interaction between metal centers in the crystalline network offers 20–30-fold superior activity during chemical as well as photocatalytic water oxidation as compared to its amorphous polymeric counterpart.
Water‐soluble multinuclear complexes based on ruthenium 2,2′‐bipyridine‐6,6′‐dicarboxylate (bda) and ditopic bipyridine linker units are investigated in three‐component visible light‐driven water oxidation catalysis. Systematic studies revealed a strong enhancement of the catalytic efficiency in the absence of organic co‐solvents and with increasing oligomer length. In‐depth kinetic and morphological investigations suggest that the enhanced performance is induced by the self‐assembly of linear Ru(bda) oligomers into aggregated superstructures. The obtained turnover frequencies (up to 14.9 s\(^{−1}\)) and turnover numbers (more than 1000) per ruthenium center are the highest reported so far for Ru(bda)‐based photocatalytic water oxidation systems.
Photocatalytic water oxidation is a promising process for the production of solar fuels and the elucidation of factors that influence this process is of high significance. Thus, we have studied in detail light‐driven water oxidation with a trinuclear Ru(bda) (bda: 2,2’‐bipyridine‐6,6’‐dicarboxylate) macrocycle MC3 and its highly water soluble derivative m‐CH\(_2\)NMe\(_2\)‐MC3 using a series of ruthenium tris(bipyridine) complexes as photosensitizers under varied reaction conditions. Our investigations showed that the catalytic activities of these Ru macrocycles are significantly affected by the choice of photosensitizer (PS) and reaction media, in addition to buffer concentration, light intensity and concentration of the sensitizer. Our steady‐state and transient spectroscopic studies revealed that the photocatalytic performance of trinuclear Ru(bda) macrocycles is not limited by their intrinsic catalytic activities but rather by the efficiency of photogeneration of oxidant PS\(^+\) and its ability to act as an oxidizing agent to the catalysts as both are strongly dependent on the choice of photosensitizer and the amount of employed organic co‐solvent.
A Calix[4]arene‐Based Cyclic Dinuclear Ruthenium Complex for Light‐Driven Catalytic Water Oxidation
(2021)
A cyclic dinuclear ruthenium(bda) (bda: 2,2’‐bipyridine‐6,6’‐dicarboxylate) complex equipped with oligo(ethylene glycol)‐functionalized axial calix[4]arene ligands has been synthesized for homogenous catalytic water oxidation. This novel Ru(bda) macrocycle showed significantly increased catalytic activity in chemical and photocatalytic water oxidation compared to the archetype mononuclear reference [Ru(bda)(pic)\(_2\)]. Kinetic investigations, including kinetic isotope effect studies, disclosed a unimolecular water nucleophilic attack mechanism of this novel dinuclear water oxidation catalyst (WOC) under the involvement of the second coordination sphere. Photocatalytic water oxidation with this cyclic dinuclear Ru complex using [Ru(bpy)\(_3\)]Cl\(_2\) as a standard photosensitizer revealed a turnover frequency of 15.5 s\(^{−1}\) and a turnover number of 460. This so far highest photocatalytic performance reported for a Ru(bda) complex underlines the potential of this water‐soluble WOC for artificial photosynthesis.
Two di- and tetranuclear Ru(bda) (bda: 2,2′-bipyridine-6,6′-dicarboxylate) macrocyclic complexes were synthesized and their catalytic activities in chemical and photochemical water oxidation investigated in a comparative manner to our previously reported trinuclear congener. Our studies have shown that the catalytic activities of this homologous series of multinuclear Ru(bda) macrocycles in homogeneous water oxidation are dependent on their size, exhibiting highest efficiencies for the largest tetranuclear catalyst. The turnover frequencies (TOFs) have increased from di- to tetranuclear macrocycles not only per catalyst molecule but more importantly also per Ru unit with TOF of 6 \(^{-1}\) to 8.7 \(^{-1}\) and 10.5 s\(^{-1}\) in chemical and 0.6 s\(^{-1}\) to 3.3 \(^{-1}\) and 5.8 \(^{-1}\) in photochemical water oxidation per Ru unit, respectively. Thus, for the first time, a clear structure–activity relationship could be established for this novel class of macrocyclic water oxidation catalysts.
A new Ru oligomer of formula {[Ru-\(^{II}\)(bda-\(\kappa\)-N\(^2\)O\(^2\))(4,4'-bpy)]\(_{10}\)(4,4'-bpy)}, 10 (bda is [2,2'-bipyridine]-6,6'-dicarbox-ylate and 4,4'-bpy is 4,4'-bipyridine), was synthesized and thoroughly characterized with spectroscopic, X-ray, and electrochemical techniques. This oligomer exhibits strong affinity for graphitic materials through CH-\(\pi\) interactions and thus easily anchors on multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNT), generating the molecular hybrid material 10@CNT. The latter acts as a water oxidation catalyst and converts to a new species, 10'(H\(_2\)O)\(_2\)@CNT, during the electrochemical oxygen evolution process involving solvation and ligand reorganization facilitated by the interactions of molecular Ru catalyst and the surface. This heterogeneous system has been shown to be a powerful and robust molecular hybrid anode for electrocatalytic water oxidation into molecular oxygen, achieving current densities in the range of 200 mA/cm\(^2\) at pH 7 under an applied potential of 1.45 V vs NHE. The remarkable long-term stability of this hybrid material during turnover is rationalized based on the supramolecular interaction of the catalyst with the graphitic surface.
Herein we report a broad series of new trinuclear supramolecular Ru(bda) macrocycles bearing different substituents at the axial or equatorial ligands which enabled investigation of substituent effects on the catalytic activities in chemical and photocatalytic water oxidation. Our detailed investigations revealed that the activities of these functionalized macrocycles in water oxidation are significantly affected by the position at which the substituents were introduced. Interestingly, this effect could not be explained based on the redox properties of the catalysts since these are not markedly influenced by the functionalization of the ligands. Instead, detailed investigations by X-ray crystal structure analysis and theoretical simulations showed that conformational changes imparted by the substituents are responsible for the variation of catalytic activities of the Ru macrocycles. For the first time, macrocyclic structure of this class of water oxidation catalysts is unequivocally confirmed and experimental indication for a hydrogen-bonded water network present in the cavity of the macrocycles is provided by crystal structure analysis. We ascribe the high catalytic efficiency of our Ru(bda) macrocycles to cooperative proton abstractions facilitated by such a network of preorganized water molecules in their cavity, which is reminiscent of catalytic activities of enzymes at active sites.
Catalytic water splitting is a viable process for the generation of renewable fuels. Here it is reported for the first time that a trinuclear supramolecular Ru(bda) (bda: 2,2′‐bipyridine‐6,6′‐dicarboxylate) catalyst, anchored on multi‐walled carbon nanotubes and subsequently immobilized on glassy carbon electrodes, shows outstanding performance in heterogeneous water oxidation. Activation of the catalyst on anodes by repetitive cyclic voltammetry (CV) scans results in a catalytic current density of 186 mA cm\(^{−2}\) at a potential of 1.45 V versus NHE. The activated catalyst performs water oxidation at an onset overpotential of 330 mV. The remarkably high stability of the hybrid anode is demonstrated by X‐ray absorption spectroscopy and electrochemically, revealing the absence of any degradation after 1.8 million turnovers. Foot of the wave analysis of CV data of activated electrodes with different concentrations of catalyst indicates a monomolecular water nucleophilic attack mechanism with an apparent rate constant of TOFmax (turnover frequency) of 3200 s\(^{−1}\).