Directing Reactivity of Iridium Photoelectrocatalysts Towards Ketone Reduction

Daron Excel, Pepperdine University
David B. Green, Pepperdine University
Kelsey R. Brereton, Pepperdine University

Abstract

Photoelectrocatalysts have become a promising avenue of solar fuels research due to their unique capability to act as both a photosensitizer and electrocatalyst simultaneously. Previous work has shown that several iridium-based complexes have successfully catalyzed the photoelectrochemical reduction of water using visible light. While this is a valuable transformation, a recent study has shown the potential for this iridium complex to photochemically reduce cyclohexanone in the presence of formate. This project aimed to substitute the use of a sacrificial reductant with an electrode and direct the reactivity of [Cp*Ir(bpy)Cl]+ towards the reduction of cyclohexanone. Preliminary cyclic voltammetric experiments of aqueous solutions containing cyclohexanone and [Cp*Ir(bpy)Cl]+ are indicative of catalytic activity in the presence of cyclohexanone. Current work is focused on confirming cyclohexanone reduction through bulk electrolysis in the presence of light with conversion monitored by NMR spectroscopy.

This paper has been withdrawn.
 
Mar 25th, 2:00 PM Mar 25th, 3:00 PM

Directing Reactivity of Iridium Photoelectrocatalysts Towards Ketone Reduction

Waves Cafeteria

Photoelectrocatalysts have become a promising avenue of solar fuels research due to their unique capability to act as both a photosensitizer and electrocatalyst simultaneously. Previous work has shown that several iridium-based complexes have successfully catalyzed the photoelectrochemical reduction of water using visible light. While this is a valuable transformation, a recent study has shown the potential for this iridium complex to photochemically reduce cyclohexanone in the presence of formate. This project aimed to substitute the use of a sacrificial reductant with an electrode and direct the reactivity of [Cp*Ir(bpy)Cl]+ towards the reduction of cyclohexanone. Preliminary cyclic voltammetric experiments of aqueous solutions containing cyclohexanone and [Cp*Ir(bpy)Cl]+ are indicative of catalytic activity in the presence of cyclohexanone. Current work is focused on confirming cyclohexanone reduction through bulk electrolysis in the presence of light with conversion monitored by NMR spectroscopy.