Mechanistic insights into multimetal synergistic and electronic effects in a hexanuclear iron catalyst with a [Fe3(μ3-O)(μ2-OH)]2 core for enhanced water oxidation†

Multinuclear molecular catalysts mimicking natural photosynthesis have been shown to facilitate water oxidation; however, such catalysts typically operate in organic solutions, require high overpotentials and have unclear catalytic mechanisms. Herein, a bio-inspired hexanuclear iron(III) complex I, Fe₆(μ₃-O)₂(μ₂-OH)₂(bipyalk)₂(OAc)₈ (H₂bipyalk = 2,2′-([2,2′-bipyridine]-6,6′-diyl)bis(propan-2-ol); OAc = acetate) with desirable water solubility and stability was designed and used for water oxidation. Our results showed that I has high efficiency for water oxidation via the water nucleophilic attack (WNA) pathway with an overpotential of only ca. 290 mV in a phosphate buffer of pH 2. Importantly, key high-oxidation-state metal–oxo intermediates formed during water oxidation were identified by in situ spectroelectrochemistry and oxygen atom transfer reactions. Theoretical calculations further supported the above identification. Reversible proton transfer and charge redistribution during water oxidation enhanced the electron and proton transfer ability and improved the reactivity of I. Here, we have shown the multimetal synergistic and electronic effects of catalysts in water oxidation reactions, which may contribute to the understanding and design of more advanced molecular catalysts.