Themed collection Editor’s Choice: Vincent Artero
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Chemistry must respond to the crisis of transgression of planetary boundaries
Chemistry, the science of transformation of matter, is fundamental to achieving sustainability through ensuring biogeochemical flows do not transgress planetary boundaries. This requires urgent changes in chemistry education, research and industry.
Chem. Sci., 2022,13, 11710-11720
https://doi.org/10.1039/D2SC03603G
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Bridging electrocatalyst and cocatalyst studies for solar hydrogen production via water splitting
This perspective briefly reviews recently developed water splitting electrocatalyst materials and discusses their utilization as cocatalysts for photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical water splitting systems.
Chem. Sci., 2022,13, 2824-2840
https://doi.org/10.1039/D1SC06015E
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Solar energy conversion using first row d-block metal coordination compound sensitizers and redox mediators
The progress over the last decade in the applications of first row d-block metal, especially iron, cobalt, copper and zinc, coordination compounds in redox shuttles and sensitizers in dye-sensitized solar cells is reviewed.
Chem. Sci., 2022,13, 1225-1262
https://doi.org/10.1039/D1SC06828H
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Emerging indoor photovoltaics for self-powered and self-aware IoT towards sustainable energy management
IoT devices powered by copper electrolyte-based dye-sensitized photovoltaic cells as ambient light harvesters achieve 38% power conversion efficiency and incorporate a dynamic intelligent on-device energy management system.
Chem. Sci., 2023,14, 5350-5360
https://doi.org/10.1039/D3SC00659J
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Photoelectrochemical water oxidation by a MOF/semiconductor composite
Herein, we report the development of a MOF-semiconductor composite film active for water oxidation at a thermodynamic underpotential.
Chem. Sci., 2023,14, 4672-4680
https://doi.org/10.1039/D2SC06361A
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Redox tuning of the H-cluster by second coordination sphere amino acids in the sensory [FeFe] hydrogenase from Thermotoga maritima
Site-directed mutagenesis of the sensory [FeFe] hydrogenase from Thermotoga maritima reveals new insight into how the protein environment tunes the active site properties for its sensory role.
Chem. Sci., 2023,14, 3682-3692
https://doi.org/10.1039/D2SC06432D
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Binding of exogenous cyanide reveals new active-site states in [FeFe] hydrogenases
Binding of exogenous cyanide to the active site H-cluster in [FeFe] hydrogenase stabilizes new active-site states with an overoxidized diiron cofactor showing how σ-donor/π-acceptor interactions influence the electronic structure of metallocofactors.
Chem. Sci., 2023,14, 2826-2838
https://doi.org/10.1039/D2SC06098A
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Multiple C–C bond formation upon electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 by an iron-based molecular macrocycle
Light hydrocarbons are produced from CO2 using an earth-abundant electrocatalyst.
Chem. Sci., 2023,14, 550-556
https://doi.org/10.1039/D2SC04729B
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High-throughput exploration of activity and stability for identifying photoelectrochemical water splitting materials
Activity-stability relations of multinary oxide photoanodes for solar water splitting were measured using an automated flow cell coupled to an ICP-MS and successively visualized with the help of data science tools like principal component analysis.
Chem. Sci., 2022,13, 13774-13781
https://doi.org/10.1039/D2SC05115J
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Electrification of a Milstein-type catalyst for alcohol reformation
Electrification of the Milstein catalyst enabled successful molecular electrocatalytic oxidation of ethanol to the four-electron products acetate and ethyl acetate.
Chem. Sci., 2022,13, 13220-13224
https://doi.org/10.1039/D2SC04533H
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Tandem electrocatalytic CO2 reduction with Fe-porphyrins and Cu nanocubes enhances ethylene production
Coupling the tunability of molecular catalysts and copper nanocatalysts opens up new possibilities towards the development of Cu-based catalysts with enhanced selectivity for multi-carbon product generation at low overpotential.
Chem. Sci., 2022,13, 12673-12680
https://doi.org/10.1039/D2SC04794B
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Opening the pathway towards a scalable electrochemical semi-hydrogenation of alkynols via earth-abundant metal chalcogenides
Holistic pathway for the sustainable electrochemical hydrogenation of alkynols – from robust metal sulphides to scalable zero-gap electrolysers.
Chem. Sci., 2022,13, 12461-12468
https://doi.org/10.1039/D2SC04647D
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Topology- and wavelength-governed CO2 reduction photocatalysis in molecular catalyst-metal–organic framework assemblies
Two MOF molecular catalyst hybrids with differing topologies show mass and light transport governed photocatalysis. MOF-specific, irradiation wavelength-dependent product control is unlocked by switching between two energy/electron transfer channels.
Chem. Sci., 2022,13, 12164-12174
https://doi.org/10.1039/D2SC03097G
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Investigating the role of the strong field ligands in [FeFe] hydrogenase: spectroscopic and functional characterization of a semi-synthetic mono-cyanide active site
Cyanide to carbonyl exchange in semi-synthetic [FeFe] hydrogenases: exploring the role of the strong field ligands of the active site and their interaction with the protein matrix via spectroscopy and electrochemistry.
Chem. Sci., 2022,13, 11058-11064
https://doi.org/10.1039/D2SC02271K
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Organocopper(II) complexes: new catalysts for carbon–carbon bond formation via electrochemical atom transfer radical addition (eATRA)
Electrochemical generation of a novel organocopper(II) complex offers a new way to carry out atom transfer radical addition to alkenes under mild conditions with high yields and low catalyst loadings.
Chem. Sci., 2022,13, 10506-10511
https://doi.org/10.1039/D2SC03418B
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Photocatalytic CO2 reduction sensitized by a special-pair mimic porphyrin connected with a rhenium(I) tricarbonyl complex
An artificial special pair was connected with a Re 2,2-bipyridine tricarbonyl complex. The special pair derivative acted as a good photosensitizer in photocatalytic CO2 reduction, giving CO with high selectivity and durability.
Chem. Sci., 2022,13, 9861-9879
https://doi.org/10.1039/D2SC03251A
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Photoelectrochemical water oxidation improved by pyridine N-oxide as a mimic of tyrosine-Z in photosystem II
Stable and high photocurrent for water oxidation was achieved by an organic dye-sensitized photoanode with a pyridine N-oxide derivative as an efficient electron relay between the chromophore and molecular water oxidation catalyst.
Chem. Sci., 2022,13, 4955-4961
https://doi.org/10.1039/D2SC00443G
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A site-differentiated [4Fe–4S] cluster controls electron transfer reactivity of Clostridium acetobutylicum [FeFe]-hydrogenase I
Histidine coordination of the distal [4Fe–4S] cluster in [FeFe]-hydrogenase was demonstrated to tune the cluster spin-states, spin-pairing and surrounding molecular orbitals to enable more facile electron transfer compared to cysteine coordination.
Chem. Sci., 2022,13, 4581-4588
https://doi.org/10.1039/D1SC07120C
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Facile conversion of ammonia to a nitride in a rhenium system that cleaves dinitrogen
Rhenium–PNP complexes split N2 to nitrides, but the nitrides do not give ammonia. Here, the thermodynamics of the hypothetical N–H bond forming steps are evaluated through the reverse reaction, showing that the first H addition is the bottleneck.
Chem. Sci., 2022,13, 4010-4018
https://doi.org/10.1039/D1SC04503B
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Unveiling ultrafast dynamics in bridged bimetallic complexes using optical and X-ray transient absorption spectroscopies
In photosynthetic systems employing multiple transition metal centers, the properties of charge-transfer states are tuned by the coupling between metal centers.
Chem. Sci., 2022,13, 1715-1724
https://doi.org/10.1039/D1SC05034F
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Controlling the optical and catalytic properties of artificial metalloenzyme photocatalysts using chemogenetic engineering
Artificial metalloenzyme visible light photocatalysts possess enhanced optical properties and are competent towards single electron and energy transfer organic transformations.
Chem. Sci., 2022,13, 1459-1468
https://doi.org/10.1039/D1SC05792H
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How do H2 oxidation molecular catalysts assemble onto carbon nanotube electrodes? A crosstalk between electrochemical and multi-physical characterization techniques
How do efficient hydrogen-oxidation molecular electrocatalysts connect onto their carbon nanotube conductive support? A coupled neutron scattering SANS and STEM electron microscopy study to observe soft active matter organizing on 3D nanosurfaces.
Chem. Sci., 2021,12, 15916-15927
https://doi.org/10.1039/D1SC05168G
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Visible light-driven simultaneous water oxidation and quinone reduction by a nano-structured conjugated polymer without co-catalysts
Nanostructured conjugated polymers of diphenylbutadiyne (nano-PDPB) can perform photocatalytic water oxidation under visible light excitation. Charge recovery delayed in time was exemplified by the reduction of quinone acting as a hydrogen reservoir.
Chem. Sci., 2020,11, 7324-7328
https://doi.org/10.1039/D0SC02122A
About this collection
Vincent Artero first joined Chemical Science as an associate editor in 2018, handling papers in the area of energy science. Since 2020 he also handles manuscripts in bioinorganic chemistry. Vincent has looked back over Chemical Science papers published over the past couple of years and has selected some outstanding articles that he would like to share, with a focus on recent trends in small molecules activation and artificial photosynthesis. We hope you enjoy reading through this selection.