Two
molecular copper(II) complexes, (NMe4)2[CuII(L1)] (1) and (NMe4)2[CuII(L2)] (2), ligated
by a N2O2 donor set of ligands [L1 = N,N′-(1,2-phenylene)bis(2-hydroxy-2-methylpropanamide),
and L2 = N,N′-(4,5-dimethyl-1,2-phenylene)bis(2-hydroxy-2-methylpropanamide)]
have been synthesized and thoroughly characterized. An electrochemical
study of 1 in a carbonate buffer at pH 9.2 revealed a
reversible copper-centered redox couple at 0.51 V, followed by two
ligand-based oxidation events at 1.02 and 1.25 V, and catalytic water
oxidation at an onset potential of 1.28 V (overpotential of 580 mV).
The electron-rich nature of the ligand likely supports access to high-valent
copper species on the CV time scale. The results of the theoretical
electronic structure investigation were quite consistent with the
observed stepwise ligand-centered oxidation process. A constant potential
electrolysis experiment with 1 reveals a catalytic current
density of >2.4 mA cm–2 for 3 h. A one-electron-oxidized
species of 1, (NMe4)[CuIII(L1)] (3), was isolated and characterized. Complex 2, on the contrary, revealed copper and ligand oxidation peaks
at 0.505, 0.90, and 1.06 V, followed by an onset water oxidation (WO)
at 1.26 V (overpotential of 560 mV). The findings show that the ligand-based
oxidation reactions strongly depend upon the ligand’s electronic
substitution; however, such effects on the copper-centered redox couple
and catalytic WO are minimal. The energetically favorable mechanism
has been established through the theoretical calculation of stepwise
reaction energies, which nicely explains the experimentally observed
electron transfer events. Furthermore, as revealed by the theoretical
calculations, the O–O bond formation process occurs through
a water nucleophilic attack mechanism with an easily accessible reaction
barrier. This study demonstrates the importance of redox-active ligands
in the development of molecular late-transition-metal electrocatalysts
for WO reactions.