Electrocatalytic Alcohol Oxidation with Iron-Based Acceptorless Alcohol Dehydrogenation Catalyst

Area of Science:

• Organometallic Chemistry
• Electrocatalysis
• Sustainable Chemistry

Background:

• Iron complexes are increasingly explored as alternatives to precious metal catalysts.
• Electrocatalytic oxidation offers a greener pathway for alcohol transformations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the electrocatalytic activity of an iron amido complex for isopropanol oxidation.
• To elucidate the mechanism of the electrocatalytic process.

Main Methods:

• Electrochemical studies including cyclic voltammetry and controlled potential electrolysis.
• Synthesis and characterization of the iron amido complex (PNHP)Fe(CO)(H)(X).

Main Results:

• The iron amido complex (FeN 1) effectively dehydrogenates isopropanol to acetone at room temperature.
• The electrooxidation occurs at a low potential (-1 V vs Fc0/+) in the presence of a strong base.
• High turnover frequencies (1.7 s-1) and Faradaic efficiency (~100%) were achieved.

Conclusions:

• The iron amido complex is a highly active and efficient electrocatalyst for isopropanol oxidation.
• The study provides insights into the catalytic cycle involving electron and proton transfer steps.