264: Development of monomeric ruthenium-based catalysts for water oxidation

Abstract: In oxygenic photosynthesis, plants, algae, and bacteria convert solar energy into chemical energy. The highly efficient water-splitting reaction and release of dioxygen occurs in the photosynthetic protein complex, photosystem II (PSII). The catalytic tetranuclear manganese-calcium-oxo (Mn4Ca-oxo) cluster in the oxygen-evolving complex (OEC) of PSII provides an excellent blueprint for light-driven water oxidation in nature. The water oxidation reaction is of intense interest due to its potential as a renewable, clean, and environmentally benign source of energy. Inspired by the OEC of PSII, we are designing water oxidation catalysts based on the transition metal ruthenium (Ru). We are developing a series of monomeric ruthenium complexes with different backbones and ancillary ligands. In this poster, I will briefly discuss representative Ru-based metal catalysts for water oxidation and describe recent functional studies on these catalysts.