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DFT Study on the Mechanism of Water Oxidation Catalyzed by a Mononuclear Copper Complex

Year:    2025

Author:    Zhi-Bo Yang, Xin Lu, Miao-Miao Li, Han-Xiao Guo, Si-Xiang Chen

Communications in Computational Chemistry, Vol. 7 (2025), Iss. 2 : pp. 145–151

Abstract

This work employed DFT calculations to elucidate the mechanism of water oxidation reaction catalyzed by a mononuclear pyridine-based copper complex, which was reported to be a homogeneous water oxidation catalyst in a pH=11.84 buffer solution. The coordination of one water molecule with the ${\rm Cu}^{{\rm II}}$ center leads to the generation of the ${\rm Cu}^{{\rm II}}-{\rm OH}_2 (1-{\rm H}_2{\rm O}).$ The active species $({\rm Cu}^{{\rm IV}}={\rm O, 3})$ is generated after two subsequent proton-coupled electron transfer processes from $1-{\rm H}_2{\rm O}.$ $3$ triggers the O-O bond formation via water nucleophilic attack mechanism. The triplet ${\rm O}_2$ can be released after following two oxidation processes. The formation of the O-O bond is the rate-determining step for the catalytic cycle associated with a total barrier of 19.3 kcal/mol.

Journal Article Details

Publisher Name:    Global Science Press

Language:    English

DOI:    https://doi.org/10.4208/cicc.2025.49.01

Communications in Computational Chemistry, Vol. 7 (2025), Iss. 2 : pp. 145–151

Published online:    2025-01

AMS Subject Headings:    Global Science Press

Copyright:    COPYRIGHT: © Global Science Press

Pages:    7

Keywords:    water oxidation density functional calculations

Author Details

Zhi-Bo Yang

Xin Lu

Miao-Miao Li

Han-Xiao Guo

Si-Xiang Chen