Journal of the American Chemical Society, Vol.132, No.20, 6874-6874, 2010
Mononuclear Copper Complex-Catalyzed Four-Electron Reduction of Oxygen
A mononuclear Cu-II complex acts as an efficient catalyst for four-electron reduction of O-2 to H2O. Its reduction by a ferrocene derivative (Fc*) and reaction with O-2 leads to the formation of a peroxodicopper(II) complex; this is subsequently reduced by Fc* in the presence of protons to regenerate the Cu-II complex.