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Abstract: Keggin‐type polyoxometalate anions [XM12O40]n− are versatile, as their applications in interdisciplinary areas show. The Keggin anion [CoW12O40]6− turns into an efficient and robust electrocatalyst upon its confinement in the well‐defined void space of ZIF‐8, a metal–organic framework (MOF). [H6CoW12O40]@ZIF‐8 is so stable to water oxidation that it retains its initial activity even after 1000 catalytic cycles. The catalyst has a turnover frequency (TOF) of 10.8 mol O2(mol Co)−1 s−1, one of the highest TOFs for electrocatalytic oxygen evolution at neutral pH. Controlled experiments rule out the chances of formation and participation of CoOx in this electrocatalyic water oxidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preparing efficient and robust water oxidation catalyst (WOC) with inexpensive materials remains a crucial challenge in artificial photosynthesis and for renewable energy. Existing heterogeneous WOCs are mostly metal oxides/hydroxides immobilized on solid supports. Herein we report a newly synthesized and structurally characterized metal-organic hybrid compound [{Co3(μ3-OH)(BTB)2(dpe)2} {Co(H2O)4(DMF)2}0.5]n⋅ n H2O ( Co-WOC-1) as an effective and stable water-oxidation electrocatalyst in an alkaline medium. In the crystal structure of Co-WOC-1, a mononuclear CoII complex {Co(H2O)4(DMF)2}2+ is encapsulated in the void space of a 3D framework structure and this translationally rigid complex cation is responsible for a remarkable electrocatalytic WO activity, with a catalytic turnover frequency (TOF) of 0.05 s−1 at an overpotential of 390 mV (vs. NHE) in 0.1 m KOH along with prolonged stability. This host-guest system can be described as a 'ship-in-a-bottle', and is a new class of heterogeneous WOC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]