Molecular transition metal macrocycles

Oenyuk, B., Whiteford, J.A. and Stang, P.J. (1996) Design and study of synthetic chiral nanoscopic assemblies. Preparation and characterization of optically active hybrid, iodonium-transition-metal and all-transition-metal macrocyclic molecular squares. J. Am. Chem. Soc., 118 (35), 8221-8230. 

For molecular electrocatalysts otherwise, and especially transition metal macrocycles, the electrocatalytic activity is often modified by subtle structural and electronic factors spanning the entire mechanistic spectrum, that is, from strict four-electron reduction, as for the much publicized cofacial di-cobalt porphyrin, in which the distance between the Co centers was set at about 4 A [12], to strict two-electron reduction, as in the monomeric (single ring) Co(II) 4,4, 4",4" -tetrasulfophthalo-cyanine (CoTsPc) [20] and Co(II) 5,10,15,20-tetraphenyl porphyrin (CoTPP) [21]. Not surprisingly, nature has evolved highly specific enzymes for oxygen transport, oxygen reduction to water, superoxide dismutation and peroxide decomposition. 

Many routes have been followed to use these organic conducting polymers as host matrices for the incorporation of various types of ionic or molecular species, which possessed promising electrocatalytic properties. These include metallic particles, metallic oxides, metal complexes, transition metal macrocycles, depending on the electrochemical reaction to be catalysed. 

This chapter focuses on the theoretical modeling studies of ORR catalysts for PEMFC. Theoretical methods, such as density functional theory (DFT) and ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulation, are presented. Current understanding of ORR mechanism in acidic medium is briefly discussed. Recent theoretical investigations on oxygen reduction electrocatalysts, such as Pt-based catalysts, non-Pt metal catalysts (Pd, Ir, CuCl), and non-precious metal catalysts (transitional metal macrocyclic complexes, conductive polymer materials, and carbon-based materials), are reviewed. The oxygen reduction mechanisms catalyzed by these catalysts are discussed based on the results. 

He H, Lei Y, Xiao C, Chu D, Chen R, Wang G (2012) Molecular and electronic structures of transition-metal macrocyclic complexes as related to catalyzing oxygen reduction reactions a density functional theory study. J Phys Chem C 116(30) 16038-16046... 

The two main methods currently used in computational and combined computational/experimental studies in the general area of transition metal coordination compounds, and specifically also with macrocyclic ligands, are DFT and MM. While DFT yields structural data, energies and molecular vibrations, as well as electronic information (the ground state wave function, spin density, charge distribution etc ), the latter is missing in MM. 

We have seen how elegantly transition metals can template the formation of knots, but what about Nature s favourite templating interaction, the hydrogen bond A remarkably efficient molecular trefoil knot synthesis based on this interaction was reported by Vogtle and co-workers, who made a knotane in 20% yield [39]. This amazing route (Fig. 11) was uncovered serendipitously during the synthesis of catenanes. The crystal structure of the compound was the definitive proof for the structure, because neither NMR nor mass spectrometry could tell it apart conclusively from the macrocycles that are also formed. 

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