Proton transfer and regulation across chemical interfaces by small-molecule assemblies

We report on measurements and control of proton gradient across interfaces of water and dichloroethane. Such interfaces are interesting as mimics of biological membranes. We use impedance spectroscopy to quantify interfacial proton gradient and identify proton transfer modes. We quantify proton movement using reciprocal of time constant (τ^-1 ) acquired from electrochemical impedance modeling. We show that proton gradient across interfaces of water/dichloroethane and τ^-1 correlate with the aqueous phase pH, changing from ca. 1 s^-1 at pH 1 to 0.2 s^-1 at pH 7. τ^-1 changes in the presence of proton shuttling fat-soluble molecules. Dinitrophenol acts as a pH activated proton coupler which is active at around neutral pH and inert at pH <4. However, quinone type cofactors change the interfacial proton transport when activated by redox reactions with ferrocene type molecules, such as decamethyl ferrocence (DMFc). Quinone type cofactors show distinct features in their impedance response assigned to a proton coupled electron transfer (PCET) process, different from the uncoupled proton transfer activity of dinitrophenol. The observed PCET reaction significantly changes τ^-1 . We use τ^-1 as a proton transport descriptor. In particular, CoQ₁₀ -DMFc shows a τ^-1 of 3.5 s^-1 at pH 7, indicating how small-molecule assemblies change proton availability.