An Easily Prepared Monomeric Cobalt(II) Tetrapyrrole Complex that Efficiently Promotes the 4e–/4H+ Peractivation of O2 to Water

The selective 4e–/4H+ reduction of dioxygen to water is an important reaction that takes place at the cathode of fuel cells. Monomeric aromatic tetrapyrroles (such as porphyrins, phthalocyanines, and corroles) coordinated to Co(II) have been considered as oxygen reduction catalysts due to their low cost and relative ease of synthesis. How- ever, these systems have been repeatedly shown to be selective for O2 reduction by the less desired 2e –/2H+ pathway to yield hydrogen peroxide. Herein, we report the initial synthesis and study of a Co(II) tetrapyrrole complex based upon a non-aromatic isocorrole scaffold that is competent for 4e–/4H+ ORR. This Co(II) 10,10-dimethyl isocorrole (Co[10- DMIC]) is obtained in a just four simple steps and excellent yield from a known dipyrromethane synthon. Evaluation of the steady state spectroscopic and redox properties of Co[10-DMIC] against those of Co(II) porphyrin ([Co(TPFPP)]) and corrole ([Co(TPFPC)(PPh3)]) homologs demonstrated that the light harvesting and electrochemical properties of the isocorrole are distinct from those displayed by more traditional aromatic tetrapyrroles. Further, investigation of the ORR activity of Co[10-DMIC] using a combination of electrochemical and chemical reduction studies revealed that this simple, unadorned monomeric Co(II) tetrapyrrole is ~85% selective for the 4e–/4H+ reduction of O2 to H2O over the more kinetically facile 2e–/2H+ process that delivers H2O2. By contrast, the same ORR evaluations conducted for the Co(II) porphyrin and corrole homologs demonstrated that these traditional aromatic systems catalyze the 2e–/2H+ conversion of O2 to H2O2 with near complete selectivity. Despite being a simple, easily prepared, monomeric tetrapyrrole platform, Co[10-DMIC] supports an ORR catalysis that has historically only been achieved using elaborate porphyrinoid-based architectures that incorporate pendant proton-transfer groups, ditopic molecular clefts, or which impose cofacially ori- ented O2 binding sites. Accordingly, Co[10-DMIC] represents the first simple, unadorned, monomeric metalloisocorrole complex that can be easily prepared and which shows a privileged performance for the 4e–/4H+ peractivation of O2 to water as compared to other simple Co(II) tetrapyrroles.

Anion Binding Studies of Urea and Thiourea Functionalized Molecular Clefts

Two rationally designed 4-nitrophenyl-based molecular clefts functionalized with thiourea (L1) and urea (L2) have been synthesized and studied for a variety of anions by UV-Vis and colorimetric techniques in DMSO. Results from the binding studies suggest that both L1 and L2 bind halides showing the order: fluoride > chloride > bromide > iodide; and oxoanions showing the order: dihydrogen phosphate > hydrogen sulfate > nitrate > perchlorate. Each receptor has been shown to form a 1:1 complex with an anion via hydrogen bonding interactions, displaying distinct color change for fluoride and dihydrogen phosphate in solution. As compared to the urea-based receptor L2, the thiourea-based receptor L1 exhibits stronger affinity for anions due the presence of more acidic thiourea functional groups.

Resolution of Thiele’s acid

Thiele’s acid has been resolved for the first time by diastereomeric salt formation with brucine. Determination of absolute stereochemistry was accomplished by X-ray crystallography of the corresponding diester. We anticipate that access to optically resolved Thiele’s acid will stimulate its use in a diverse range of applications requiring chiral molecular clefts.