Cobalt based homogeneous molecular water oxidation catalysts

Abstract

The consequential rise of energy demand after industrial revolution has led mankind to massive use of fossil fuels in the last two centuries. This has resulted into accumulation of carbondioxide in atmosphere which is the direct cause of global warming. A renewable, carbonneutral energy source is now the only way to combat energy crisis in near future and mitigate the environmental hazards. Mimicking natural phenomenon for carrying out artificial photosynthesis, i.e., splitting water into molecular oxygen and protons in addition with electrons is of great interest considering the demand of energy. Molecular catalysts made of noble metals have been in study for last four decades, but due to their scarcity and economic reasons, they cannot be produced for mass usage. So 1st row based transition metal could be an alternate for noble metal because of their high abundancy and less toxicity. Therefore, our main aim is to develop Cobalt-based molecular catalysts which will be oxidatively rugged and commercially sustainable and will have a great TON and TOF. Potent water-oxidation catalysts [Co(bmpp)(bpy)Cl]PF6 and [Co(bmpp)(phen)Cl]PF6 have also been synthesized after a thorough review on this field, where the ligand bmpp, is encompassed pyrazole derivative of pyridine