A Co-peptoid electrocatalyst for nitrite reduction that enables selective production of ammonia

Abstract

An intramolecular bio-inspired Co(III) peptoid complex performs as a stable and efficient molecular catalyst for highly selective electrocatalytic nitrite reduction to ammonia in neutral phosphate buffer, with Faradaic efficiency of 90%. The high selectivity is enabled due to hydrogen bonding by an ethanolic side chain, coupled with phosphate buffer-mediated proton transfer.