Identifying Metal-Oxo/Peroxo Intermediates in Catalytic Water Oxidation by In Situ Electrochemical Mass Spectrometry

Molecular catalysis of water oxidation has been intensively investigated, but its mechanism is still not yet fully understood. This study aims at capturing and identifying key short-lived intermediates directly during the water oxidation catalyzed by a cobalt-tetraamido macrocyclic ligand complex using a newly developed an in situ electrochemical mass spectrometry (EC-MS) method. Two key ligand-centered-oxidation intermediates, [(L^2-)Co^IIIOH] and [(L^2-)Co^IIIOOH], were directly observed for the first time, and further confirmed by ¹⁸O-labeling and collision-induced dissociation studies. These experimental results further confirmed the rationality of the water nucleophilic attack mechanism for the single-site water oxidation catalysis. This work also demonstrated that such an in situ EC-MS method is a promising analytical tool for redox catalytic processes, not only limited to water oxidation.