We have recently introduced corrole metal complexes (metallocorroles) as catalysts for various energy-relevant reactions. This includes those that are of prime importance for water splitting into its elements, the hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions, and also the oxygen reduction reaction for fuel cells. A careful choice of substituents on the corrole ligand and the kind of metal ion (all earth abundant) chelated by them allows for lowering of the electrocatalytic overpotential, increasing reactivity, and controlling selectivity.

An arsenal of electrochemical and spectroscopic methodologies, which in the case of metallocorroles is very rich, was applied for acquiring highly valuable information about the mechanisms of action such as characterization of a cobalt-dioxgen intermediate.

REFERENCES

“Cobalt Corrole Catalyst for Efficient Hydrogen Evolution Reaction from H₂O under Ambient Conditions: Reactivity, Spectroscopy and DFT Calculations”, Inorg. Chem. 2013, 52, 3381-3387.

"The Cobalt Corrole Catalyzed Hydrogen Evolution Reaction: Surprising Electronic Effects and Characterization of Key Reaction Intermediates" Chem. Commun. 2014, 50, 2725-2727.

"Metallocorroles as photocatalysts for driving endergonic reactions, exemplified by bromide to bromine conversion", Angew. Chem. 2015, 54, 12370 –12373.

"Metallocorroles as Non-Precious Metal Catalysts for Oxygen Reduction", Angew. Chem. 2015, 54, 14080 –14084.

“Metallocorroles as Non-Precious Metal Electrocatalysts for Highly Efficient Oxygen Reduction in Alkaline Media" ChemCatChem 2016, 8, 2832-2837.

“Metallocorroles as Electrocatalysts for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction (ORR)", Israel J. Chem. 2016, 56, 756– 762.

 “Dioxygen bound Cobalt Corroles”, Chem. Commun. 2017, in press.