Cerium(IV)‐Driven Water Oxidation Catalyzed by a Manganese(V)–Nitrido Complex

Abstract

AbstractThe study of manganese complexes as water‐oxidation catalysts (WOCs) is of great interest because they can serve as models for the oxygen‐evolving complex of photosystem II. In most of the reported Mn‐based WOCs, manganese exists in the oxidation states III or IV, and the catalysts generally give low turnovers, especially with one‐electron oxidants such as CeIV. Now, a different class of Mn‐based catalysts, namely manganese(V)–nitrido complexes, were explored. The complex [MnV(N)(CN)4]2− turned out to be an active homogeneous WOC using (NH4)2[Ce(NO3)6] as the terminal oxidant, with a turnover number of higher than 180 and a maximum turnover frequency of 6 min−1. The study suggests that active WOCs may be constructed based on the MnV(N) platform.