Electrocatalytic reduction of dioxygen to water by tren-capped porphyrins, functional models of cytochrome c oxidase†

Abstract

Two different tren-capped porphyrins—in which the two metals, iron and copper, are more or less off-centered—are shown to be efficient catalysts for the reduction of O2 to H2O; surprisingly, their iron-only complexes are shown to be even more effective 4e– catalysts when adsorbed on a graphite electrode.