Issue 11, 2024

Catalytic reduction of oxygen to water by non-heme iron complexes: exploring the effect of the secondary coordination sphere proton exchanging site

Abstract

In this study, we prepared non-heme FeIII complexes (1, 2, and 3) of an N4 donor set of ligands (H2L, Me2L, and BPh2L). 1 is supported by a monoanionic bispyridine-dioxime ligand (HL). In 2 and 3, the primary coordination sphere of Fe remained similar to that in 1, except that the oxime protons of the ligand were replaced with two methyl groups and a bridging −BPh2 moiety, respectively. X-ray structures of the FeII complexes (1a and 3a) revealed similar Fe–N distances; however, they were slightly elongated in 2a. The FeIII/FeII potential of 1, 2, and 3 appeared at −0.31 V, −0.25 V, and 0.07 V vs. Fc+/Fc, respectively, implying that HL and Me2L have comparable donor properties. However, BPh2L is more electron deficient than HL or Me2L. 1 showed electrocatalytic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity in acetonitrile in the presence of trifluoroacetic acid (TFAH) as the proton source at Ecat/2 = −0.45 V and revealed selective 4e/4H+ reduction of O2 to H2O. 1 showed an effective overpotential (ηeff) of 0.98 V and turnover frequency (TOFmax) of 1.02 × 103 s−1. Kinetic studies revealed a kcat of 2.7 × 107 M−2 s−1. Strikingly, 2 and 3 remained inactive for electrocatalytic ORR, which established the essential role of the oxime scaffolds in the electrocatalytic ORR of 1. Furthermore, a chemical ORR of 1 has been investigated using decamethylferrocene as the electron source. For 1, a similar rate equation was noted to that of the electrocatalytic pathway. A kcat of 6.07 × 104 M−2 s−1 was found chemically. Complex 2, however, underwent a very slow chemical ORR. Complex 3 chemically enhances the 4e/4H+ reduction of O2 and exhibits a TOF of 0.24 s−1 and a kcat value of 2.47 × 102 M−1 s−1. Based on the experimental observations, we demonstrate that the oxime backbone of the ligand in 1 works as a proton exchanging site in the 4e/4H+ reduction of O2. The study describes how the ORR is affected by the tuning of the ligand scaffold in a family of non-heme Fe complexes.

Graphical abstract: Catalytic reduction of oxygen to water by non-heme iron complexes: exploring the effect of the secondary coordination sphere proton exchanging site

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Edge Article
Submitted
15 Dec 2023
Accepted
01 Feb 2024
First published
13 Feb 2024
This article is Open Access

All publication charges for this article have been paid for by the Royal Society of Chemistry
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Chem. Sci., 2024,15, 4095-4105

Catalytic reduction of oxygen to water by non-heme iron complexes: exploring the effect of the secondary coordination sphere proton exchanging site

A. Santra, A. Das, S. Kaur, P. Jain, P. P. Ingole and S. Paria, Chem. Sci., 2024, 15, 4095 DOI: 10.1039/D3SC06753J

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