A Cobalt complex from Terpyridine‐based Peptoid as an Efficient Catalyst for Visible Light Driven Water Oxidation

Abstract

We report on the first peptoid‐based catalyst for visible light driven water oxidation, the complex TPT2Co. Peptoids are N‐substituted glycine oligomers, and TPT is a peptoid trimer incorporating terpyridine ligand, an ethanolic group as a proton acceptor and a non‐catalytic benzyl group. We explored the ability of TPT2Co to perform as a catalyst for water oxidation in phosphate buffer at pH 9.5, in the presence of the photosensitizer [Ru(bpy)3]2+ and the sacrificial electron acceptor Na2S2O8. We demonstrated that TPT2Co can catalyze water oxidation by a blue LED with an intensity of only 1.5 mW/cm2 towards oxygen production at pH 9.5 with a maximal TON of 28.1 in 45 min. The stability of TPT2Co during the light‐driven water oxidation as well as its ability to stabilize the photosensitizer were confirmed by a combination of UV‐Vis, IR and ESI‐MS analysis.