Differentiating homogeneous and heterogeneous water oxidation catalysis: confirmation that [Co4(H2O)2(α-PW9O34)2]10-...

Distinguishing between homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis is not straightforward. In the case of the water oxidation catalyst (WOC) [Co4(H2O)2(PW9O34)2](10-) (Co4POM), initial reports of an efficient, molecular catalyst have been challenged by studies suggesting that formation of cobalt oxide (CoOx) or other byproducts are responsible for the catalytic activity. Thus, we describe a series of experiments for thorough examination of active species under catalytic conditions and apply them to Co4POM. These provide strong evidence that under the conditions initially reported for water oxidation using Co4POM (Yin et al. Science, 2010, 328, 342), this POM anion functions as a molecular catalyst, not a precursor for CoOx. Specifically, we quantify the amount of Co(2+)(aq) released from Co4POM by two methods (cathodic adsorptive stripping voltammetry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry) and show that this amount of cobalt, whatever speciation state it may exist in, cannot account for the observed water oxidation. We document that catalytic O2 evolution by Co4POM, Co(2+)(aq), and CoOx have different dependences on buffers, pH, and WOC concentration. Extraction of Co4POM, but not Co(2+)(aq) or CoOx into toluene from water, and other experiments further confirm that Co4POM is the dominant WOC. Recent studies showing that Co4POM decomposes to a CoOx WOC under electrochemical bias (Stracke and Finke, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2011, 133, 14872), or displays an increased ability to reduce [Ru(bpy)3](3+) upon aging (Scandola, et al., Chem. Commun., 2012, 48, 8808) help complete the picture of Co4POM behavior under various conditions but do not affect our central conclusions.