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The ruthenium complexes [Ru(phen)2(ptpba)]2+ (Rua) and [Ru(phen)2(ptpbß)]2+ (Ruß), where phen =1,10-phenanthroline ; ptpba = pyrido[2',3':5,6]pyrazino[2,3-f][1,10]phenanthroline; ptpbß = pyrido[3',4':5,6]pyrazino[2,3-f][1,10]phenanthroline, are shown as electrocatalysts and photocatalysts for CO2 reduction to formate, formaldehyde, and methanol. Photochemical activity of both complexes is lost in water but is retained in 1 M H2O in DMF. Controlled current electrolysis of a solution of Ruß in CO2 saturated DMF:H2O (1 M) yields predominantly methanol over a 6 h period at -0.60 V versus Ag/AgCl, with traces of formaldehyde. After this time, the potential jumped to -1.15 V producing both methanol and CO as products. Irradiation of Ruß in a solution of DMF:H2O (1 M) containing 0.2 M TEA (as the sacrificial reductant) yields methanol, formaldehyde, and formate. Identifications of all of the relevant redox and protonated states of the respective complexes were obtained by a combination of voltammetry and differential reflectance measurements. Spectroelectrochemistry was particularly useful to probe the photochemical and electrochemical reduction mechanisms of both complexes as well as the complexes speciation in the absence and presence of CO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photochemical catalytic CO2 reduction to formate and methanol has been demonstrated in an aqueous homogeneous system at pH 5.0 comprising ruthenium(II) trisphenanthroline as the chromophore, pyridine as the CO2 reduction catalyst, KCl, and ascorbic acid as a sacrificial reductant, using visible light irradiation at 470 ± 20 nm. Isotopic labeling with 13CO2 yields the six-electron-reduced product 13CH3OH. After 1 h photolysis, the two-electron-reduced product formate and the six-electron-reduced product methanol are produced with quantum yields of 0.025 and 1.1 × 10–4, respectively. This represents 76 and 0.15 turnovers per Ru for formate and methanol, respectively, and 152 and 0.9 turnovers per Ru on an electron basis for formate and methanol, respectively. The system is inactive after 6 h irradiation, which appears largely to be due to chromophore degradation. A partial optimization of the methanol yield showed that high pyridine to Ru ratios are needed (100:1) and that the optimum pH is near 5.0. The presence of potassium salts enhances the yield in formate and methanol by 8- and 2-fold, respectively, compared to electrolyte-free solutions; however, other alkali and alkali earth cations have little effect. The addition of small amounts of solid metal catalysts immobilized on carbon had either no effect (M = Pt or Pd) or deleterious effects (M = Ni or Au) on methanol production. Addition of colloidal Pt resulted in no methanol production at all. This is in notable contrast with the pyridine-based electrocatalysis of CO2 to methanol in which metallic or conductive surfaces such as Pt, Pd, or p-type GaP are necessary for methanol formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A combined experimental and theoretical investigation aims to elucidate the necessary roles of oxygen in photoredox catalysis of radical cation based Diels-Alder cycloadditions mediated by the first-row transition metal complex [Cr(Ph2phen)3]3+, where Ph2phen = bathophenanthroline. We employ a diverse array of techniques, including catalysis screening, electrochemistry, time-resolved spectroscopy, and computational analyses of reaction thermodynamics. Our key finding is that oxygen acts as a renewable energy and electron shuttle following photoexcitation of the Cr(III) catalyst. First, oxygen quenches the excited Cr3+* complex; this energy transfer process protects the catalyst from decomposition while preserving a synthetically useful 13 μs excited state and produces singlet oxygen. Second, singlet oxygen returns the reduced catalyst to the Cr(III) ground state, forming superoxide. Third, the superoxide species reduces the Diels-Alder cycloadduct radical cation to the final product and reforms oxygen. We compare the results of these studies with those from cycloadditions mediated by related Ru(II)-containing complexes and find that the distinct reaction pathways are likely part of a unified mechanistic framework where the photophysical and photochemical properties of the catalyst species lead to oxygen-mediated photocatalysis for the Cr-containing complex but radical chain initiation for the Ru congener. These results provide insight into how oxygen can participate as a sustainable reagent in photocatalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]