Photocatalytic water oxidation by molecular assemblies based on cobalt catalysts

Abstract

Chromophore-catalyst molecular assemblies towards visible light-driven water oxidation were synthesized by covalent integration of a light-harvesting complex [Ru(bpy)3](2+) (bpy=2,2'-bipyridine) and a Co4O4 cubane water oxidation catalyst. The two components were assembled either in linear or macrocyclic configurations. In the presence of the sacrificial reagent, the Ru-Co metallocycle exhibits remarkable photocatalytic activity for oxygen evolution, which is one order of magnitude higher than that of a multicomponent system and exceeds that of a linear assembly by a factor of five, offering access to highly active photocatalyst through molecular design.

Keywords: cobalt; cubanes; homogeneous catalysis; photocatalysis; water splitting.